MSN, recently known as Microsoft Start, is a news and content platform that provides users with news articles, entertainment, lifestyle content, and more.

organization

Microsoft AI



(Windows, Bing, Copilot, MSN)

Microsoft AI



(Windows, Bing, Copilot, MSN)

Microsoft AI



(Windows, Bing, Copilot, MSN)


Microsoft AI



(Windows, Bing, Copilot, MSN)

role

Design, Development,

Research

Design, Development,

Research

Design, Development,

Research

Design, Development,

Research

collaborators

Developers, Project managers,

UX researcher

Developers, Project managers,

UX researcher

Developers, Project managers,

UX researcher

Developers, Project managers,

UX researcher

timeline

2 months

2 months

2 months

2 months

overview
overview

Social engagement notifications on Windows

Social engagement notifications on Windows

A 0-1 design initiative that focuses on improving community engagement on MSN by implementing a notification system.

I led the end-to-end design direction of the Windows 11 and 10 taskbar widget notification experience, resolving the issue of users not being notified when their comments received engagement, thereby encouraging folks to return to engage in meaningful conversations and community growth.

I led the end-to-end design direction of the Windows 11 and 10 taskbar widget notification experience, resolving the issue of users not being notified when their comments received engagement, thereby encouraging folks to return to engage in meaningful conversations and community growth.

I led the end-to-end design direction of the Windows 11 and 10 taskbar widget notification experience, resolving the issue of users not being notified when their comments received engagement, thereby encouraging folks to return to engage in meaningful conversations and community growth.

I led the end-to-end design direction of the Windows 11 and 10 taskbar widget notification experience, resolving the issue of users not being notified when their comments received engagement, thereby encouraging folks to return to engage in meaningful conversations and community growth.

An end-to-end notification experience

An end-to-end notification experience

An end-to-end notification experience

The problem
The problem

How will they know?

Users who commented on articles had no way of knowing if their contributions received any engagement, such as likes or replies. To find out, they needed to navigate to their comment history, which was a disruptive and inefficient process. This lack of immediate feedback created a disconnect between users and the ongoing conversation.

To address this, we needed to design and implement a notification system that would proactively inform users of any engagement with their comments.

To address this, we needed to design and implement a notification system that would proactively inform users of any engagement with their comments.

To address this, we needed to design and implement a notification system that would proactively inform users of any engagement with their comments.

To address this, we needed to design and implement a notification system that would proactively inform users of any engagement with their comments.

The goal
The goal

Organic navigation and persistent entry points

The goal was to bridge the gap in organic navigation and to provide persistent entry points for users to track their discussions and comments.

The goal was to bridge the gap in organic navigation and to provide persistent entry points for users to track their discussions and comments.

The solution
The solution

Identifying Strengths and Opportunities for Improvement

Previously, users had to click into their personal profile to check if another user has replied to or reacted to their comment. There are no notifications on the website or through the Windows taskbar to alert users of these interactions.

The Opportunity to Stand Out

I realized that by integrating push notifications for comment activity within the familiar Windows 10 and 11 environment, we can significantly increase user engagement and foster a more dynamic community experience than our competitors.

Constraints lead to innovation

Since our organization didn't own the notification bell it was unavailable for use, requiring a strategic and creative workaround.

Given the success of MSN’s taskbar notifications as an entry point for user alerts, I suggested incorporating community engagement notifications, along with a new hover-state flyout feature for quick previews on Windows 10 and 11.

Ultimately, I led the team to innovate by utilizing existing features and frameworks (the taskbar) as a workaround.

Designing cards with future iterations in mind

Since this was uncharted territory, I designed cards with future iterations in mind. This meant anticipating potential engineering solutions, legal approvals, and design greenlights, ensuring the cards could adapt to evolving possibilities.

Finding the sweet spot for notifications

Gathering the team together, I initiated discussion with product managers and engineers to collaboratively determine the best solution and user experience, delicately balancing the frequency of showing and suppressing notifications while keeping in mind our business goals of driving re-engagement on discussions and building a community.

Click-through rate on this card was 10x the average click-through rate.

Click-through rate on this card was 10x the average click-through rate.

Click-through rate on this card was 10x the average click-through rate.

Click-through rate on this card was 10x the average click-through rate.