Case Study Microsoft Whiteboard: New UX Design - Facilitator's Toolkit (Focus Mode and Sandboxes)

Getting Engaged: A Toolkit for Better Brainstorming Sessions.   

On January 2, 2023, my team of four UX researchers and designers was tasked by Microsoft Whiteboard (part of Microsoft Teams) to develop tools to improve communication in remote whiteboarding meetings for Microsoft Whiteboard.  Our timeline was to conduct our research and design process by May 31, 2023.

Our project description: "With a shift to remote and hybrid work environments during the COVID-19 pandemic, the way that brainstorms are conducted has changed. Our project, sponsored by Microsoft Whiteboard, aims to improve remote brainstorming sessions using their platform."

Our research discovered that many existing digital whiteboards lack a human touch and struggle to replicate the dynamics of in-person interactions. We narrowed our project's focus to a solution for experienced facilitators, empowering them to improve engagement and foster inclusivity for better brainstorming sessions.

Specifically, our solution introduces new features that help facilitators navigate and conduct sessions for optimal participant focus, such as Focus Mode. Our solution also provides the Sandbox feature to closely simulate an in-person session where participants have space to brainstorm privately before sharing it with the larger group. 

Included here are our presentation materials to Microsoft Whiteboard's team: a poster, a sample of a prototyped scenario from our usability testing, our process book, and our final deliverable book. Note also our project video link: https://studio.youtube.com/video/HSXzFhjPyiE/edit.