NextCloud Poll Idea
A proposal for a native poll feature in the open-source platform NextCloud, designed to enhance collaboration through simple, privacy-conscious group decision-making.
Project Type: UI UX
Role: Designer
Duration: Q2 2021
A proposal for a native poll feature in the open-source platform NextCloud, designed to enhance collaboration through simple, privacy-conscious group decision-making.
Project Type: UI UX
Role: Designer
Duration: Q2 2021
In this project, I explored how to enrich the open-source platform NextCloud by proposing a lightweight, privacy-respecting poll feature for its chat interface. Inspired by how other platforms handle group decisions, my goal was to contribute to the NextCloud community with a design that enhances collaboration without compromising user data. This exercise allowed me to connect with developers, create prototypes, and better understand how design can thrive in open, decentralized environments.
The goal of this project was to conceptualize and design a poll feature for NextCloud, a privacy-focused open-source communication platform. Polls are often overlooked in chat apps, yet they offer valuable ways for teams and communities to make collective decisions, plan events, or gather opinions quickly and easily.
One of the main challenges was designing a feature that feels lightweight and familiar while respecting NextCloud’s principles of user privacy and simplicity. Since open-source tools often lack refined UX, another hurdle was balancing functionality with usability in a minimal yet effective UI.
My personal goal was to explore how open-source development and design can intersect. I worked with developer feedback on GitHub, shared ideas with the community, and learned to advocate for users in spaces where design is not always the priority.
I began by researching how existing platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Discord approach polls. While some offer native options, others rely on external tools or bots. These inconsistencies highlighted a design gap in open-source environments—polls are often missing or underdeveloped. By analyzing how users interact with polls across platforms, I identified what could work well inside NextCloud’s chat interface while keeping things lightweight and respectful of user privacy.
Open-source tools like NextCloud prioritize privacy, but often lack features that support real-time group decision-making. Users are forced to rely on external tools or messaging workarounds to coordinate, which fragments the experience and reduces platform engagement.
Open source platforms like NextCloud are robust and privacy-focused, but they often lack polished user experience due to limited design resources. This project set out to explore how thoughtful UX design could enhance community-led tools. By proposing a poll feature for the NextCloud chat interface, the aim was to meet a real user need—making group decisions easier—without compromising simplicity or privacy. During the process, we had the opportunity to share ideas with the actual NextCloud development team, who confirmed that such a feature was already in consideration, validating both the idea and its feasibility.
The primary users are privacy-conscious individuals and teams using NextCloud for collaboration. They want tools that support group decision-making without relying on external apps. Our persona values autonomy, trust, and intuitive functionality.
The design had to feel native to NextCloud’s existing UI—simple, minimal, and informative at a glance. It needed to offer clear controls without disrupting the chat flow, while staying consistent with open source values.
Insights from tools like Twitter, YouTube, and Discord revealed that polls encourage interaction when embedded naturally. Many users prefer not to install extra plugins or bots, so native integration is key. Feedback from developers also confirmed demand for lightweight decision tools in open source environments.
After identifying user needs and validating the idea with NextCloud developers, I began outlining how the poll feature could be integrated without cluttering the interface. I mapped out simple user flows—from poll creation to vote submission and result visibility—and considered how it could function inside the chat layout without feeling disruptive. The main goal was to make it feel like a natural extension of the platform, not an add-on.
The poll feature begins with a user clicking a small "+" icon within the chat bar, selecting “Create Poll.” A modal opens where they can enter a question and answer options, set time limits, and choose visibility (public or anonymous). Once submitted, the poll appears inline within the chat thread. Other users can vote directly, and results update in real-time. This flow keeps the process lightweight, embedded, and intuitive—ideal for quick decisions within active discussions.
Using Figma, Penpot, and Illustrator, I created mockups that show how polls could integrate seamlessly into the chat interface. The focus was on visual clarity, minimal user steps, and aligning with NextCloud’s design principles. The prototype was shared with developers via GitHub, initiating feedback loops and making the concept more grounded in practical implementation.
The final design delivers a clean, intuitive poll feature that feels native to NextCloud’s ecosystem. By embedding it directly into the chat interface, users can create and participate in polls without leaving the conversation.
The visual structure respects the platform’s minimal aesthetic while offering just enough feedback to guide interactions without overwhelming the user.
This project not only delivered a usable, lightweight poll feature but also initiated real dialogue between designers and developers in the open-source space. By contributing to a live GitHub repository and collaborating with the NextCloud dev team, the concept went beyond design—demonstrating how thoughtful UX can improve real tools used by privacy-conscious communities.
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