Naming and consent for AI features
Lead content designer for Zoom Rooms Smart Name Tags: AI-driven feature naming and compliance copy.
Lead content designer for Zoom Rooms Smart Name Tags: AI-driven feature naming and compliance copy.
Role
Lead content designer
Goal
Design naming and copy that balanced clarity with user trust while meeting legal requirements. Reduce accessibility barriers and enhance engagement and inclusivity in Zoom Rooms.
Stakeholders
Product design, Legal, Localization
Zoom wanted to enhance the in-room meeting experience by introducing Smart Name Tags, an AI-driven feature that automatically displays participants' names using facial recognition. The feature enhances inclusivity and engagement by helping virtual participants identify who is in the room and by making remote and in-person attendees feel more connected.
With facial recognition involved, the stakes were high. We needed to:
The work was particularly complex because the feature required enablement at multiple levels: first by a company admin at the system level, then by individual users who had to consent in their own profile if they wanted automatic recognition. Every word carried weight, as it needed to be both user-friendly and legally sound.
Partnered with product design to explore naming options. We researched competitors like Webex and explored alternatives such as "name cards." They also wanted to use the term "smart", which led to "smart speaker tags"—before we landed on "Smart Name Tags" for simplicity.
Why "Smart Name Tags" won:
Admin and consent flows were complex for two reasons: multi-level enablement (room first, then users) and the need to distinguish between manual and automatic name tags—each with different consent requirements.
Admins had to turn it on in the room first, then turn it on for their users. This two-step enablement meant copy had to guide admins through room-level setup before user-level activation—each with distinct responsibilities and implications.
Smart name tags (manual)—The ability for manual name additions by anyone in a Zoom Room. Users could add or edit their name during a meeting. This did not require the same level of consent.
Automatic smart name tags—Names displayed automatically for users who had consented. Required full consent; each user had to opt in through their user portal if they wanted their name picked up automatically.
Admins had to turn on the ability for users to consent to automatic smart name tags. This was a separate setting—enabling the feature at the room level did not automatically enable the consent path. Admins had to explicitly allow users to opt in.
For automatic name tags, each individual had to go into their own settings and consent for themselves that they wanted to utilize the feature when they walked into a Zoom Room. Making this distinction clear—what required consent vs. what didn't—allowed us to make it correct, trustworthy, and clear.
Worked with both teams at once—often in live writing sessions. Key constraints:
First time writing in tandem with legal. Step-by-step collaboration helped us stay compliant—critical given state-specific rules (e.g., Iowa consent and data retention).
What we crafted: Copy that explained the feature clearly, made the opt-in process transparent, and used plain language that built trust while meeting legal requirements.
Final approval process. Even with close legal collaboration, copy went up for sign-off—which took time. Edits were greatly reduced because we had worked together from the start.
Writing for AI-powered features requires balancing both — users want to feel informed and empowered, not monitored.
Writing in tandem with legal—my first time doing so—reduced final approval edits significantly and produced stronger, compliant copy from the start.
"Smart Name Tags" was cognitively easy to understand and more translatable than alternatives—localization testing validated the choice early.
Clarity and transparency can make the difference between adoption and resistance.
Features that reduce barriers—like making participants identifiable in hybrid meetings—benefit everyone, especially those who depend on clear identification.
Launched Smart Name Tags
Clear, legally-approved copy guided users through setup and consent. Launched in public beta.
Legal compliance with clarity
Clear consent copy reduces legal risk and compliance issues for the company, protecting both users and the organization.
Inclusivity & engagement
Reduced accessibility barriers; helped remote and in-person attendees feel more connected in Zoom Rooms.
Trustworthy experience
From admin portal to individual user flows, copy that builds confidence and reduces confusion during activation.