OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY: OFFICE SERVICE PULSE
Company: Microsoft
Project: Reducing Diagnosis Time for High-Stakes Incident Response
Role: Senior UX Designer (Design Lead)
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The Problem: Slow Diagnosis and Inefficient Incident Response
The tool used by on-call Exchange engineers to monitor global server health was critically slow and inefficient. When an incident occurred, this deficiency led directly to long diagnosis times and extended resolution times, increasing platform risk and operational cost. The mandate was to redesign the portal to be faster, more efficient, and directly support engineers operating under high pressure, often during off-hours.
The How: Designing for High-Pressure Visualization and Workflow
I was responsible for leading the end-to-end user experience and visual design redesign, partnering closely with PM and user research. The core focus was to reduce the cognitive load and speed up data assessment for engineers.
Multi-View Visualization: We introduced a novel visualization concept centered on a group of charts showing incidents over time. The design allowed engineers to cycle through up to four dynamic charts simultaneously, enabling multiple perspectives to quickly diagnose the possible cause of an incident. Workflow Enhancements: The solution included critical supporting features that boosted team efficiency:
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Data Logging: We integrated a feature allowing engineers to leave comments and feedback on incidents, creating a permanent log of resolution actions that aided future on-call staff in quick recurrence diagnosis.
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System Documentation: We created dedicated pages documenting chart types and usage elements to ensure global consistency and understanding.
The Result: Faster Incident Resolution and Enhanced Operational Health
The redesigned Office Service Portal provided on-call engineers with a single, efficient source for evaluating and assessing global Exchange data center health and availability (covering OWA, Mailflow, Networking, etc.).
The new design was a success, most notably because the customized visualization and the workflow enhancements directly reduced diagnosis and resolution times during critical incidents. This project showcases my ability to design high-stakes tools that deliver tangible improvements in operational efficiency and system stability.
