Video Conferencing For The Modern Office
In the early twenty tens video conferencing hardware was expensive and the accompanying software was difficult to use. Highfive saw an opportunity to dispel this notion by launching an affordable solution for small to mid-size companies. The Red Dot award winning product was one of the first plug-and-play video conferencing systems that didn't require a professional installation.
Supporting Good Hardware With Smart Software
In order to leverage the power behind the hardware we also needed to design an intuitive software application to accompany it. The app needed to provide our customers with a way to connect to the ecosystem regardless of what room they were in or what device they were using.
Anyone could get up and running in just a few clicks
We started by making it simple to install the software from any browser on any operating system. Installation required no manual intervention and pairing to equipment was handled automatically through domain level privileges. This meant that anyone in the company regardless of tech literacy could get up and running in just a few clicks.
Start joining your meetings in seconds not minutes
Starting a call is as simple as tapping go with optional extras available for more personalized experiences like reoccurring meetings. Interoperability is also baked into the products DNA allowing for calendar syncing and other 3rd party app support.
Navigate Without Confusion
During a call, all commonly used functions are displayed in the main toolbar for easy access. Our goal was to avoid unnecessary distractions which are often caused by unfamiliar options, poorly labeled buttons or hidden/missing features.
Creating the optimal canvas for a conference call is difficult
You need to consider a large number of variables as-well-as predict how the software might react to its surroundings. Ultimately Highfive's dynamic video stage represented a first for the industry with layouts that automatically adapt to participants in the call so everyone has an opportunity to be seen and heard.
Always Have confidence in the state of your microphone
Clear and concise messaging helps maneuver around the pitfalls associated with common technical hiccups. We wanted to avoid the awkward moments of 'can you hear me' or 'you're muted' by making it easy to understand what state your microphone and camera are in. Participant information can also be accessed by simply clicking on the desired avatar. We take these features for granted today but at the time this was cutting edge UI/UX pioneered by our team.
Travel with confidence
Remote work is an important part of the product ecosystem and the hardware works just as well in a home living room as it does in an office meeting room. Taking a call on the road is also easy with the dedicated mobile app for Android and iOS.
Nothing Happens By Accident
Design process enables successful communication. We spent years pouring over technical documentation, running competitive audits, wire framing, prototyping, user testing and even standing on showroom floors demoing our product to the world.
Highfive set a new bar, improving the ease and quality of video conferencing with many of its core features going on to influence products such as Zoom, Slack and Apple’s FaceTime. The company was acquired by Dialpad in 2020 and from there the best parts of Highfive continue to be incorporated into Dialpad Meetings.
You can visit the live product today or stick around and take a peek at some of my other work.