Facetime Moments

OVERVIEW

As video calls replace in-person moments, cultural and language gaps can dull emotional connection. FaceTime Moments adds real-time translation and cultural footnotes to FaceTime, helping families feel closer across distance

PROJECT TYPE

Product design, user research & feature development

TIMELINE

8 weeks (February 2025 - April 2025)

SOFTWARES

Figma

PROJECT TYPE

Product design, user research & feature development

TIMELINE

5 weeks (November 2024 - December 2024)

8 weeks (February 2025 - April 2025)

8 weeks (February 2025 - April 2025)

SOFTWARES

Figma

Pokemon Go

Facetime Moments

Facetime Moments

OVERVIEW

As Pokémon Go evolved, coordinating in-person gameplay became challenging, diminishing its social appeal. To address this, I designed a Party Play scheduling feature that helps players plan group activities around Community Events, fostering real-world connections and improving retention.

As video calls replace in-person moments, cultural and language gaps can dull emotional connection. FaceTime Moments adds real-time translation and cultural footnotes to FaceTime, helping families feel closer across distance

As video calls replace in-person moments, cultural and language gaps can dull emotional connection. FaceTime Moments adds real-time translation and cultural footnotes to FaceTime, helping families feel closer across distance

CURRENT CHALLENGES

I FaceTimed my family celebrating Tết, but I couldn’t feel part of it.

I was on FaceTime, watching from afar, hearing laughter, missing meaning, smiling through the disconnect.

That’s when I realized: being there isn’t the same as feeling connected.

RESEARCH

Rethinking What Culture Really Means

Jolyn Tran

What if people forget all aspects of their customs and culture?

User Testing

Food and language are the biggest cultural indicators!

Jolyn Tran

The louder parts of culture remain. The quieter ones are already fading.

Jolyn Tran

What if people forget all aspects of their customs and culture?

User Testing

Food and language are the biggest cultural indicators!

Jolyn Tran

The louder parts of culture remain. The quieter ones are already fading.

let culture live naturally in moments; helping people rediscover traditions and language through the warmth of family, not the structure of study?

let culture live naturally in moments; helping people rediscover traditions and language through the warmth of family, not the structure of study?

Sketching Culture Into Conversation

I explored ideas like phrasebooks and memory tools, but user testing made one thing clear:
People didn’t want another app, they wanted culture to show up in the conversations they already have. That’s why I designed within FaceTime, not outside it.

I explored ideas like phrasebooks and memory tools, but user testing made one thing clear: People didn’t want another app, they wanted culture to show up in the conversations they already have. That’s why I designed within FaceTime, not outside it.

User Quote

“I don’t go out of my way to learn, but I listen when I talk to my mom.”

User Quote

“I don’t go out of my way to learn, but I listen when I talk to my mom.”

User Quote

“I don’t go out of my way to learn, but I listen when I talk to my mom.”

ITERATION 01

Capturing Without Disrupting

The first prototype introduced swipe-to-record and in-call commenting, inspired by Snapchat gestures.
But user testing showed friction; commenting pulled users out of the moment, and navigation between the transcript and call needed work.

The first prototype introduced swipe-to-record and in-call commenting, inspired by Snapchat gestures. But user testing showed friction; commenting pulled users out of the moment, and navigation between the transcript and call needed work.

The first prototype introduced swipe-to-record and in-call commenting, inspired by Snapchat gestures. But user testing showed friction; commenting pulled users out of the moment, and navigation between the transcript and call needed work.

ITERATION 02

Making Moments Easier to Navigate

This iteration prioritized smoother transitions: easier navigation, clearer feedback, and subtle onboarding.
The goal was to reduce mental load and let users stay in the moment.

This iteration prioritized smoother transitions: easier navigation, clearer feedback, and subtle onboarding. The goal was to reduce mental load and let users stay in the moment.

Added a “See original” button so it’s easier to toggle

Allowed commenting to be done while still seeing the person you’re calling

Added a “See original” button so it’s easier to toggle

Allowed commenting to be done while still seeing the person you’re calling

Had consideration of the storing of the comments and recordings

Timestamp for accurate accounts throughout the call

Had consideration of the storing of the comments and recordings

Timestamp for accurate accounts throughout the call

Somewhere in the iterations, I lost the cultural intimacy I set out to design for.

That moment reminded me why I started: not to build tools, but to preserve meaning: the kind I missed during Tết. So I recentered on the feeling, not just the function.

FINAL PRODUCT

With that clarity, I redesigned FaceTime Moments to reflect the warmth, nuance, and curiosity that originally inspired it, while still keeping it practical for everyday use.

Recording on FaceTime

Features: Swipe-to-record within FaceTime, allowing users to capture moments naturally without pausing the call or switching apps. The other person gets a gentle notice for transparency.

Impact: Makes it easy to capture meaningful moments as they happen, like saving a memory in motion.

Features: Swipe-to-record within FaceTime, allowing users to capture moments naturally without pausing the call or switching apps. The other person gets a gentle notice for transparency.

Impact: Makes it easy to capture meaningful moments as they happen, like saving a memory in motion.

Features: Swipe-to-record within FaceTime, allowing users to capture moments naturally without pausing the call or switching apps. The other person gets a gentle notice for transparency.

Impact: Makes it easy to capture meaningful moments as they happen, like saving a memory in motion.

Real-Time Translations

Features: Automatically translates the conversation into your default language using FaceTime’s live captions.

Impact: Many family conversations cross language lines. This feature makes those moments feel inclusive.

Smart Translation

Features: Improves translation accuracy for slang, idioms, and regional dialects.

Impact: Family doesn’t speak like textbooks. Smart Translation respects the unique way families talk.

Cultural Footnotes

Features: Tappable cultural terms like “Tết” surface short, friendly explanations without leaving the call.

Impact: Adds warmth and learning through context, not lectures, inviting curiosity in the moment.

Commenting on Transcripts

Features: Tap to comment directly on live captions during a call, without interrupting or switching views.

Impact: Encourages reflection and deeper understanding, without interrupting the flow of conversation.

Guidance & Feedback

Features: First-time users get a one-time tooltips. Users can also quickly flag mistranslations mid-call.

Impact: Makes Moments more approachable for new users and smarter for everyone over time.

Moments Post-Call

Features: After the call, users can view, edit, and organize the full moment — video, transcript, notes — all stored in Photos.

Impact: Transforms conversations into living memories you can revisit, learn from, or pass on.

NEXT STEPS

01

Improve
Accessibility

Improve Accessibility

Improve Accessibility

Reduce cognitive load and add screen reader support to make Moments more inclusive.

02

Personalize Family Memory

Save family-specific phrases and names that grow smarter with each conversation.

03

Enable Offline Access

Enable Remote Play

Let users access translations and saved moments without needing a strong connection.

REFLECTION

Culture is deeper than food and language

Learning happens through emotion, not education

Technology works best when it stays invisible

Let's connect!

tranjolyn@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyntran/

Let's connect!

tranjolyn@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyntran/

Let's connect!

tranjolyn@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyntran/