Sol Lee–Help Me Create with Copilot

Summary

The first Copilot feature of Microsoft 365 large screen app

Help Me Create with Copilot support you to discover apps with generated content from your creative intent in a short description. This feature helps anyone bring their idea to life and this is making it easier than ever get started. Also, this feature helps you can have generated content as AI-based suggestions in realtime by Copilot.

Innovative path: I was the one designer for this project from incubating its concept to the public announcement of the feature.

Role

Main designer (Myself)

-Ideation of the feature
-Concept development
-IA and user flows
-Demo video

-Figma prototype
-Design spec
-Support engineers
-Accessibility spec

With

1 PM

8 engineers

1 user researcher

1 content developer

User problem

Our research shows that people struggle to understand each Microsoft 365 tool's functionality and connect it to their intents.

Design sprint

In Feb 2023, from a design sprint, I shared an idea and rough concept of a feature.

It can support users can create high-quality content by typing in their intent, working with the model to craft their content and design, and seamlessly transferring their content to the desired app.

The early concept from the design sprint. It was more closer to an individual tab as a full screen experience.

Users can create high-quality content by typing in their intent, working with the model to craft their content and design, and seamlessly transferring their content to the desired app.

Being funded project

After reviewing this concept, this got the best feedback from leadership, and can be funded as a product feature team. This feature becomes as the first Copilot feature of Microsoft365.

Set target audience

People who have ideas to create, but not familiar or sure about which digital app can do for it regardless their background, technical confidence level or familiarity with Microsoft tools.

Lean into input from AI skeptics and customer with low computer confidence

From collaboration with research team, learned people are excited for this feature to save time and efforts. But also, they mentioned some input process could feel as overwhelming and they wanted to learn about more about the app options.

IA and user flow development

Started to explore IA options based on learnings from interviews. Tested 8 different layout options.

IA and user flow development

Narrow down to a dialog view to support user can feel this is lightweight create experience while can still see the Create page behind of it. So, prepared two IA options as a Figma prototype for unmoderated user testing sessions.

Research results

There was a clear trend in how people ranked the designs they saw no matter which option they saw, no matter what order, people tended to prefer the option B, which is both generative contents and suggested apps together. They mentioned since Copilot is such a new tool, they need some time to get used to it.

Phase plans

Prepare Walk and Run phases while syncing with engineering team

Design spec

Onboarding

For people who are not familiar with Copilot. Designed this by aligning to Fluent Copilot language by syncing with Fluent design team.

Example prompts

I tested all example prompts with an early demo, and realized those were suggest one app mainly. Try to have balance and work perfectly in code and demonstrated the wide range of ways to use this feature by leading customers to a variety of M365 apps. Here are testings and adjusting example prompts based on it. This feature uses a custom-built prompt on the back end to choose an app to recommend, so we were also bug bashing that model as we made prompt decisions.

Versioning

Make a "History" button to navigate to another version.

User flows

For communication with engineering team and partner teams, created user flows per core actions and tasks.

Motion

To support users' understanding about this new feature as two sections for generated texts and app options but also same focus and job-to-be-done to find their create option and preview it.

Discussion with the accessibility expert

While syncing with our tea's accessibility expert to review accessibility design spec and enhance it for make this one feature for everyone.

MICROSOFT 365

Help Me Create with Copilot