Microsoft Whiteboard Redesign

University of Washington Human Centered Design & Engineering

UW HCDE

2023

Desktop App

User Research

Increased Collaboration

GIF of MS Whiteboard Focus Mode and Sandboxes features

Overview

This project with Microsoft Whiteboard explores what it looks like to brainstorm in remote environments successfully and how to counteract social and technical challenges. The goal of my team's design solution is to provide facilitators tools within Whiteboard for more effective brainstorming sessions.

As part of a two quarter-long (20 weeks) Master’s capstone in Human Centered Design, my team of four students was sponsored by Microsoft to transform and improve remote brainstorming sessions using the MS Whiteboard application. I served as my team’s lead UX Designer. While I participated in every part of the project, including research and testing, I led the literature review, analysis and synthesis of qualitative user research data and worked with another teammate to design our interactive Figma prototype.

Duration

20 weeks

Collaboration

Team of 4 students working with Microsoft

Role

Design Lead, Researcher

Duration

20 weeks

Collaboration

Team of 4 students working with Microsoft

Role

Design Lead, Researcher

Challenge

Business Goals

Improve brainstorming

Enable facilitators to lead better brainstorming sessions online using MS Whiteboard

Create novel use cases

There are a lot of digital whiteboarding tools out there. What new features can we bring to the table that will have a positive impact on brainstorming?

Business Goals

Improve brainstorming

Enable facilitators to lead better brainstorming sessions online using MS Whiteboard

Create novel use cases

There are a lot of digital whiteboarding tools out there. What new features can we bring to the table that will have a positive impact on brainstorming?

User Goals

Keep participants focused

The infinite canvas of digital whiteboards and all the whistles and bells available can be distracting. When participants lose focus, it’s difficult to get them back on track.

Engagement

A facilitator’s goal is to keep everyone engaged in whatever manner is best for them.

User Goals

Keep participants focused

The infinite canvas of digital whiteboards and all the whistles and bells available can be distracting. When participants lose focus, it’s difficult to get them back on track.

Engagement

A facilitator’s goal is to keep everyone engaged in whatever manner is best for them.

Design Question

How might we create a solution for experienced facilitators that empowers them to improve engagement and foster inclusivity for effective brainstorming sessions?

Solution

Scroll to design process ↓

We created two new features, Focus Mode and Sandboxes, in Microsoft Whiteboard for facilitators to improve engagement and foster inclusivity for effective brainstorming sessions.

Focus Mode

The facilitator views the structure of a brainstorming session in an outline format. With Focus Mode on, the facilitator can guide their participants through activities. The goal of this feature is to maximize focus and minimize distractions.

Sandboxes

Sandboxes are breakout workspaces that the facilitator can create for certain types of activities or ideations where it is important for participants to have their own space and privacy to generate ideas. The goal of this feature is to provide a safe space for participants to work in cases when a large, open-canvas can be distracting, overwhelming, or counterproductive.

GIF of sending participants to the Sandboxes in Whiteboard

Output

Key research on leading better brainstorming

An unexpected benefit of this project was teaching me how to lead better brainstorming sessions and meetings, which I've brought into my professional work.

Key research on leading better brainstorming

An unexpected benefit of this project was teaching me how to lead better brainstorming sessions and meetings, which I've brought into my professional work.

Focus Mode

A facilitator can pull participants’ focus onto a section of the canvas. With Focus Mode on, the facilitator can guide their participants through activities.

Focus Mode

A facilitator can pull participants’ focus onto a section of the canvas. With Focus Mode on, the facilitator can guide their participants through activities.

Sandboxes

Breakout rooms within Whiteboard to allow for private or small group brainstorming.

Sandboxes

Breakout rooms within Whiteboard to allow for private or small group brainstorming.

Design Process

Expand full process ↓

Design Process

Expand full process ↓

Design Process

Expand full process ↓

Skills & Tools

Design Sprints

User Research

Design Systems

Usability Testing

Prototyping

Competitive Analysis

MS Whiteboard

Miro

Figma

Overview

Picasso expands Paradigm’s surgeon-controlled registration workflow, enabling surgeons to tell the Paradigm system what is the vertebral surface by tracing bone using a handheld probe and foot pedal.

I led the end-to-end redesign of the vertebra registration workflow. I partnered closely with the engineering and usability teams to ship a smooth experience with hardware and software components.

Duration

20 weeks

Collaboration

Team of 4 students

Role

Design Lead, Researcher

03/06

03/06

Microsoft Whiteboard Redesign

Microsoft Whiteboard Redesign

Overview

Overview

Challenge

Challenge

Business Goals

Improve brainstorming

Create novel use cases

Business Goals

Improve brainstorming

Create novel use cases

User Goals

Keep participants focused

Engagement

User Goals

Keep participants focused

Engagement

Design Question

Design Question

Solution

Solution

Focus Mode

Focus Mode

Sandboxes

Sandboxes

Output

Output

Key research on leading better brainstorming

Key research on leading better brainstorming

Focus Mode

Focus Mode

Sandboxes

Sandboxes

Design Process

Design Process

Design Process

Skills & Tools

Skills & Tools

Overview