Building a Video App:

The end user platform refers to how your customers will use your application. Will it be through the web (desktop computer and browser), mobile (native application or mobile browser-based), or both?

The choice you make here impacts different aspects of your project and timeline. Whichever end-user platform(s) you choose, make sure your development platform supports your application needs with SDKs that work with the languages used by your engineering teams.

With any type of web application—video chat notwithstanding—you’ll need to work through the basics of user account registration, login, and authentication. Your implementation of authentication and authorization is closely tied to your system’s security.

Most video platforms handle authentication similarly, requiring a server-side component that generates a token, which is then consumed by a client when connecting to a session. The difference between platforms lies in how server-side token generation works with secrets. Twilio, for example, uses an API Key Secret. In addition, Twilio provides subaccounts and different key levels for more granular authorization and permissions control.

Your business needs will dictate the different kinds of video interaction that your application will offer. In some cases (for example, a customer service interaction), a 1:1 video chat is usually sufficient. In other cases (for example, a focus group session), group chat is necessary. If your application facilitates group video chat, will it be a single presenter speaking to an audience, or will there be roundtable discussions and group interaction?

Consider whether your application needs to support end-to-end encryption. Keep in mind that you cannot offer full end-to-end encryption and record on the server simultaneously, since connections between users and the server must be decrypted in memory in order to save to disk.

Your organization may deal with protected health information (PHI) or be subject to HIPAA regulations. In that case, Twilio will sign a Business Associate Addendum (BAA) to ensure that you can build a HIPAA-compliant application. To learn more about how to build a HIPAA compliant workflow using Twilio’s offerings, please refer to Architecting for HIPAA on Twilio.

Developing high-quality video applications is critical to creating memorable experiences. Twilio provides many different APIs to help provide the experience you need to deliver.

Twilio’s Network Bandwidth Profile API abstracts away the heavy lifting required to use resources more efficiently, giving higher priority to those video tracks that are more important. You can specify render dimensions, maximum bitrate, and maximum number of video tracks, thereby giving users an optimal video experience.

In addition, Twilio’s Dominant Speaker Detection API, Track Priority API, and Network Quality API all contribute to providing the perfect balance between optimal resource usage and optimal user experience. Plus, Twilio’s Video Insights gives you access to usage and quality metrics across all your rooms and participants, so you can observe your application, discover trends, detect issues, and troubleshoot.

New noise cancellation technologies are emerging, driving us further away from the once underwhelming video experience of many apps. While operating systems, browsers, and video chat platforms themselves all include different layers of noise/echo cancellation, there are ways to utilize machine learning to build an unparalleled aural experience. Twilio offers AI-based Noise Cancellation for all Video Group Rooms customers so you can provide best-in-class audio experiences directly in your video application.

Regarding layout, you may build a custom layout based on the needs and comfort levels of your users.

Your video use case and communication style will inform your design. For example, the layout and usage of screen real estate varies between 1:1 video, group chats, and sessions with a presenter and screen share. A layout and implementation that focuses on the active speaker also contributes toward a memorable video experience for your users.

Your users’ devices also impact video layout choices. Connecting from a web browser on a desktop computer may dictate a fixed layout, whereas connecting from a web browser on a tablet may need to support screen rotations and different layouts. When users connect from mobile devices with smaller screens, your options for how to use screen real estate become even more limited.

Only by tracking customer service scores (CSAT) can you measure whether a customer feels their needs have been fulfilled. CSAT surveys can be administered via SMS or email or by asking for ratings after interactions with customer support.

An NPS survey is different; rather than asking a customer to evaluate their current feelings toward the company or product, it is focused on the future—would they recommend you to their friends or colleagues?

Businesses that leverage group room technology often need to facilitate meetings or conferences. Group learning environments—such as in educational institutions (like LearnCube), fitness programs (like Barry’s), or training centers—also utilize group rooms for video rather than 1:1.

The dynamic of a group room video session brings unique concerns which your platform will need to address. For example, an active speaker indicator and a presenter’s ability to mute all participants or disable participant cameras are must-haves.

Participants in a group room expect chat functionality that runs in parallel to video. You’ll need to think through messaging (to everyone versus to specific individuals) and other aspects such as rich content or emoji support.

In addition, you will need to consider the layout for supporting a room with dozens (or hundreds) of participants. Should there be pagination, customizable views based on user selection, or limits?

With multiple session participants added into the mix, noise and echo will be an issue. To mitigate unwanted noise, the Twilio Video SDK supports Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) and Noise Suppression (NS).

Lastly, large groups often have the need for breakout rooms to accommodate smaller groups. It will be important to work through both the design of the user experience flow and the technical aspects of one group room session spawning several others.

In contrast, business contexts such as telehealth, document e-signing, or customer service make use of 1:1 video sessions rather than group rooms. Applications facilitating social interactions also typically leverage 1:1 video. While 1:1 sessions may seem simpler, there are still several considerations to keep in mind.

Many business use cases will additionally require features like screen sharing, whiteboarding, or other real time collaboration niceties. File sharing—being able to send attachments to one another from within the video room— will also be considered a must-have for many contexts.

Other feature considerations include Virtual Backgrounds  backgrounds , integrating augmented reality (AR) technology, and recording or transcription services.

Regardless of the business context for your video platform—whether you need to focus on supporting  group rooms or 1:1 sessions—the Twilio Video platform provides a wide array of tools for easy integration of the features needed to match your use case.