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NameRead Tool
Helping people say names with confidence in first-time interactions.
Mispronunciation isn’t a knowledge problem. It’s a social pressure problem. NameRead will help people say names right in Zoom meetings in first-time interactions.
• 87.5% users felt “more respectful and comfortable”
• Reduced hesitation in meetings
• Improved inclusivity in remote teams
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
5 Weeks, 2025
Contribution
Prototyping, Usability testing, Storytelling, User research
Problem？
In remote meetings, reading a name can always be the first moment of hesitation. Mispronouncing a name can quietly build disconnection before a conversation even begins.
Research？
• People don't want to ask names again so quickly, so they delay saying names at first until they feel more familiar.
• The first meeting is the highest-friction moment, because people have not built familiarity yet.
Core Issue？
We reviewed 4 name-pronunciation tools + 4 meeting platforms and uncovered a gap. Current meeting tools support identification:
• Almost none of the tools enable private practice pre-meeting
• None of the platforms offer one-tap in-meeting audio playback
How might we help people pronounce names with confidence before speaking, without increasing social pressure?
Goal
Increase first-time correct pronunciation rate and perceived meeting comfort (CSAT) for first introductions trough Zoom. The tool may help millions of users who are working in a global environment reduce social pressure.
• Must operate on the Zoom system 🔗: Information Architecture.
• Must not interrupt meeting flow
Design Process
Existing solutions surface pronunciation (Profile Card), but fail to support real-time usage, are not available across all users, and are heavy to read.
Profile Card's name pronunciation is hidden behind clicks, not accessible in live conversation. Besides, They support reference, but not recall under pressure.
Through card sorting and quick surveys, we found that users prefer a concise and lightweight way.
Because hesitation happens in real time, but confidence is built before the moment.
Before: users prepare privately to avoid making mistakes
During: users need fast, low-friction recall while speaking
After: reflection happens, but behavior rarely changes in the moment
Introducing this lightweight NameRead Tool!
Design Solution
Set up your name once
• Users can record the name in the Zoom account profile and repeat to hear their audio quickly. Led an A/B test, 7/8 participants preferred a more visible button to hear the name.
Practice before a meeting
• Meeting invites include a “Name Pack” — a preview of all participants’ name pronunciation.
Stay confident in real-time
• Users can visually choose display of the name pronunciation, phonetic information, and name story.
• Users can hover to see a small name tag with a playback button, phonetic line, and personal story. 8/8 participants from an A/B test prefer the Hover Card interaction than Click-to-Reveal.
Highlight Interactions
Pre-meeting Name Preview
In-meeting Audio NameTag
Outcomes
Tested with 16 participants in 2 rounds of usability testings by using Figma and Userberry (Online Tools).
• Users felt “more respectful and comfortable”
• Reduced hesitation in meetings
• Improved inclusivity in remote teams
feel less pressure
average satisfaction
appreciate Name Preview
Impact
NameRead may help millions of users reduce social pressure, strengthening Zoom’s role in inclusive, cross-cultural collaboration.
“Mispronouncing names isn’t just about language. It’s about identity, respect, and belonging.”
- Participant, Professor at Columbia University
Next Steps
Designing NameRead reminded me that inclusion is built through details. The simple act of saying a name correctly can reshape how people feel seen at work. For the next step, I would love to make this function beyond the Zoom environment to a larger work and life environment.
