What Facebook Does That You Don't

About a month ago, Facebook introduced their new Video Calling feature. When you look at how it works and the features, it's obvious that they have focused on simplifying the experience of video calling.

Here are some points that show how they have made the experience simpler:

• There are no controls. Apart from the very basic full screen, minimise and close everything has been removed. This is to ensure that the interface is as simple as possible and there is no confusion on what you can do during the call.
• Video window is at the top. When you first start the call the video starts just beneath the camera, this helps you have some eye contact with the other person by looking at an area closer to the camera.
• Your picture is not in the way of the call. Your picture, which is usually placed in the call window, is so small that while it's there it doesn't become your centre of attention.
• The only active window is the video call window. While you are on a video call you cannot do anything else on facebook. This makes for a better interaction as it focuses your attention on the call and not at browsing pages and profiles.

Overall the lead designer, Rob Mason, has applied several simplicity principles to create an interface that is easy to use, innovative and creates a better experience. One thing that you will notice is that he had to sacrifice certain features to make the ones that are important easier to use. What we are left with is a service that works as it should and moves the focus to the call you are having and not to the bells and whistles.

Take Facebook's example and simplify. In order to be innovative you need to have the guts to sacrifice certain features in favour of the more essential ones.