Digital communication

From private chats to public comments, from video calls to gaming voice channels, digital communication now comes in many shapes and forms.

Each has its own rhythm; what sounds natural in a fast-paced gaming chat would feel out of place in a formal email, just as “Best regards” would look almost comic under a TikTok video.

As UX designers, it’s easy to focus on neat layouts, clear buttons, or smooth interactions.

But the real challenge is subtler: creating spaces where people can communicate comfortably and honestly.

People already adapt their tone and timing depending on where they are, perhaps using a quick emoji in chat or a thoughtful paragraph via email, but the tools themselves should also adapt to them.

Those small design decisions, whether a message shows as seen, whether reactions exist, or how presence is signalled - quietly shape how users interpret attention, connection, or silence.

Sometimes they make things easier; other times they create confusion or pressure.

Today, so much of our work, learning, and social life happens through screens.

That’s why UX has a growing role in how we stay connected, not by inventing new ways to talk, but by helping people communicate in ways that feel natural, kind, and clear.

Do you have any further categories in your mind? Please feel free to share them.