Finding 2
When sending a message, users worried their messages were not being delivered or seen.
X Users were unsure if the recipient was getting chat notifications.
X Users would resort to the comment then assign feature to ensure recipient was getting notified of their message.
X Users confused the chat and comment features and their intended functions.
Google Docs Document History & Communication Tools
What Users Said About the Chat Feature
“The chat box is good but it is also a little ambiguous. I don’t know if the chats go away after a while or if anyone gets notified.”
“For me it’s very natural… if you want to address someone specifically you @ them. I can’t seem to do that here.”
“The chat feature left a little to be desired.”
Comment & Assign Buttons
*User attempting to message a collaborator*
“I would write a comment up at the top (of the document) so maybe it can catch your attention.”
Users often resorted to the comment feature and then the assign button to “message” someone instead of the chat.
User resorting to the “comment” feature to send a message to a collaborator.
User selecting the “assign” button to ensure a recipient gets a notification of their message.
User writing their comment at the top of the page to ensure the intended recipient does not miss their message.
Chat and Comment History Icons
Users seemed to use the chat and comment feature almost interchangeably when attempting to deliver a message.
users questioned whether their intended recipient would see their message using only the chat feature.
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Recommendations
A more overt chat notification would help ensure the intended recipient sees the message. Chat and comment features (and their intended functions) should be more distinguishable to prevent confusion and ensure a more streamlined, organized form of communicating.