In the summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to work with Microsoft as an UX Designer in the Garage program. I worked with a product manager and 5 developers on making a mobile companion app to the Photos desktop application. During the three months I was there, I was able to see the product through ideation, research, prototyping, refining to its final shipping.
From Left to Right: Kliment Serafimov (MIT2020), Sathvik Birudavolu (UMass Amherst2021), me!, Sean Kelley (UMass Amherst2020), Cowboy Lynk (MIT2020), Alex Fischer (UMass Amherst2020), Saarthi Jethi (BU2020)
Having never worked with developers or program managers, it was a learning experience for me to collaborate cross-discipline. Working as a team on a timeline that pushed us to deliver weekly taught me how to efficiently advocate for practical designs.
What we worked on
We worked on redesigning a mobile companion app to the Photos desktop application that facilitates cross platform file transfers. It was pitched to us by Team Evoke from Redmond and from there we were able to expand upon its feature set and improve its overall usability. We developed features that specifically target ease of use in the classroom setting to reflect Microsoft’s engagement with the education sector.
Due to my Non-Disclosure Agreement, I cannot release any more information about our product until it is officially shipped on the app store. Come back later to hear more!
What was my role
As the only designer on the team, I was responsible for:
Synthesizing online research conducted by Microsoft
Identifying the problem space and creating new personas
Constructing and participating in product pitches
Making wireframes and prototypes based on feedback
Conducting usability testing
Reiterating designs based on feedback
Participating in privacy meetings and accessibility tests
Designing on-boarding materials
Polishing assets and strings
Preparing Photos Companion for shipping
