Lead Suspect Management
Microsoft commissioned our services to develop a new application to handle the new world of remote work over international borders. Our team started from a concept, took it to a fully designed and planned product, and prepared it to be built to scale.
For this project, my roles were to make and manage the project file, plan the layout of the design system, create a chatbot for user assistance, and build a profile and reward system that incentives users to keep using the product.
We needed to figure out how users can work abroad. This included dealing with complicated issues such as booking flights and filing taxes internationally. Every step of the process had to be accounted for to make sure that the product was fully thought-out and met the client's expectations.
Make an end-to-end international experience and pitch it to our client for it to reach full production.
Take initiative on leadership opportunities to update the product.
We spent this phase of the project figuring out how parts would interact with one another. We also made a site map to facilitate the scaling of the project.
Based on the style guide, I built a component library matching Microsoft's visual style that fits our needs. The library covered all aspects of the design from buttons to card layout. However, before we could incorporate any of this system, we needed to wireframe the app.
The work trips are represented by the number of tasks left to complete along with their assigned trip advisors who could answer any difficult questions.
The trip pages are divided into six sections (Overview, Onboarding, Travel, Destination, Financial, and Tax) to ensure that all the steps of international travel are accounted for. To complete a step, users may have to move through the process of uploading documents such as copies of passports.
I made a simple flow with blocks to plan out the functions we felt were necessary for the AI Chatbot. Some of the screens we needed to include were live chat with the AI bot, suggested questions to get a user started, writing to an operator, and estimated wait time.
When drafting wireframes, I decided that the boxes should be of a consistent height, and the content should magnetize to either the top or the bottom of the card. This approach also allowed for information to be at the top so that user interaction always stays at the bottom.
Once my senior and I were happy with the wireframes, I added visual stylings from the component library to the design system.
The big problem I had to solve was that the system was originally designed for users who may be traveling alone and not for those with families. My aim was to change the file upload process to make one profile capable of holding the information of many.
The first part of my process was changing the flow. I changed the flow from a checklist of uploaded documents to a series of folders that could contain multiple copies of the same documents for different family members.
The options to add more users to a trip, upload specific documents for multiple users, and use drop-down style menus brought the product closer to the users' needs.
I also mocked up a rewards page that was meant to incentivize users to keep using the service by offering gift cards to companies that would like to collaborate with Microsoft.
This feature was requested as finding housing overseas can be difficult. A housing market page would generate possible housing units for users based on factors such as locations, price ranges, and durations of stay.
When I was building out the file and design systems, I took leadership to ensure that everyone was ready to work when the full team was brought on.
I learned more about building a product from the ground up while following the client's branding. This was, by far, the most prestigious client I have ever worked with, so I learned to design for the best in our industry.
Ian Robinson: Senior and Project Manager