Modern messaging: what is really important for users?

Sending messages has become as easy for us as the ability to move, talk, eat. It's simple, and we always spend a lot of time behind it. But what is the difference? In 1835, letters from Alfred de Musset to George Sand could be delivered in weeks. In 2015, Misha and Anya, who had never seen each other “live”, who were introduced to each other by the Tinder service, communicate with each other and agree on a date in just two hours. The message itself is sent and delivered in less than a second.

We always wrote letters to each other, but now communication through written messages has become faster, better, more convenient. And despite the fact that our smartphones have already learned to recognize voice commands and quite adequately translate speech into printed text, an independent set of messages turned out to be more preferable for users. And there are simple explanations for this:

• It is more comfortable. It is easier for people to type messages of erotic content than to slander them. You can think (this is best) before writing something.
• It is unnoticeable. People do not hear the content of your message when you type a message in the "traditional way". In crowded places, not everyone can slander messages, but everyone can type. You do not always answer the phone calls, but the plus messages are that they come to us and wait in the wings.
• This is clearly. You can add pictures, videos, as well as organize the connection of many additional functions and services.

Communication through text messaging has become the preferred method of communication and information sharing ... It has become reliable, mobile and suitable for all types of communication:
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• Each other (iMessage)
• In groups (Whatsapp)
• With friends (Facebook Messenger)
• For dating (Tinder)
• With colleagues (Slack)
• For services (Magic)
• With anyone (E-mail)

It is therefore not surprising that users like it. And since the launch of Slack, and with the advent of specialized services (Operator, Magic and others), whose operators can (as if by magic) perform any whim, people increasingly like to send text messages, which has almost become the cherished goal of modern man. Besides, sending messages at dinner is much easier to explain than the Bitcoin protocol.

Oh yeah, messaging gives you endless possibilities. Various modern technologies, coupled with artificial intelligence, are gaining momentum, and messaging has definitely not been used to its fullest extent over the past 10 years. But let's stop for a moment and think about it.

What really matters about the use of messaging as a technology is that the main goal of all this is to improve the user experience, and nothing more. How?

• Allowing quick access to information;
• Providing better interaction;
• Providing a unique and valuable experience, largely due to some original technology features (for example, a limited time sharing of content on Snapchat).

No matter what tasks your application or your service solves - if you position messaging as the main chip, then make sure that your product carries real value for users, combining unique qualities that allow for better interaction - faster than any other tools. .

That turned out to be food for thought and discussion.