A method includes, within a Graphical User Interface (GUI), displaying a contact list and a conversation container to a user, the contact list including a plurality of contact objects, the conversation container being an active object used to represent an ongoing conversation, receiving input from a user through the GUI, the input instructing the client computing system to move a first contact object from the plurality of contact objects over the conversation container and drop the first contact object into the conversation container, in response to dropping the first contact object into the conversation container, instructing a server to open a first communication session between the client system and a first device associated with the one of the contact objects, the first communication session being of a first media type, and engaging in communication through the first communication session with the first device.