Engaging Employees with SelfDrvn through Teams
Involvement
Research
Web Design
Mobile Design
Organization
SelfDrvn
Summary
This case study outlines my shift from Regional Sales Ops to UI/UX designer at SelfDrvn, where I integrated our product with Microsoft Teams. This redesign led to a 250% boost in productivity and all five-star reviews on Microsoft AppSource.
250
%
increase in productivity at a Big Four
5 star
on all 61 Microsoft AppSource reviews
I started my career in a traditional sales role, managing a portfolio of over 50 opportunities worth millions. While the hustle and bustle of closing deals was exciting, I yearned for something more fulfilling. A spark ignited within me, a desire to create something tangible, something that could truly make a difference.
Unexpected Career Shift
So, I took a leap of faith and dove into the world of startups. I co-founded a couple of ventures, Q and Hyra, where I took on the role of Product Chief. It was exhilarating, terrifying, and a steep learning curve. I was designing, prototyping, and strategizing, all while juggling my day job.
Queuing management system | Q
Vendor rental car marketplace | Hyra
A pivotal moment came when I shared my design work with a friend who happened to be the Head of Tech at SelfDrvn. Impressed by my passion and potential, he shared the work with the CEO, and the next day, the CEO offered me a position as a designer. It was a dream come true, a chance to turn my drive into a career.
Uncovering Design Challenges
Upon joining SelfDrvn as the sole designer, I was tasked with integrating our existing product with Microsoft Teams. Microsoft was actively seeking app partners to enhance their Teams marketplace, which presented a significant opportunity for SelfDrvn.
The central challenge was clear:
"What would encourage users or organizations to adopt both Teams and SelfDrvn?"
Gathering Insights
To answer this question, I knew that robust research was essential. I implemented a research process that began with surveying 20 of our customers and partners to gather insights on their needs and preferences regarding SelfDrvn’s integration with Teams. The survey focused on key areas such as:
Quest: Engagement features
Rewards: Incentives for participation
News Feed: Communication and updates
Quizzes: Learning and development opportunities
Survey Responses
The feedback was illuminating. Here are some notable quotes from our open-ended questions:
The lack of transparency in recognizing employee achievements, leading to overlooked contributions.
Farzana, Head of HR
Feeling demotivated due to infrequent check-ins from management, resulting in a sense of stagnation.
Kamal, Employee
The difficulty in retaining top talent amidst fierce competition and the high costs associated with onboarding new hires.
Alin, HR Manager
The complexity of technical functions, highlighting the need for clearer support systems.
Amer, Solution Partner
From this feedback, we identified three key features that could enhance user engagement with SelfDrvn on Microsoft Teams: Quest, News Feed, and Rewards.
Research and Ideation
Initially, our designs catered primarily to mobile applications, failing to align with the desktop experience of Microsoft Teams. After thorough discussions with the team, we decided to revamp the design to ensure it fit seamlessly within the Teams environment without sacrificing any core functionalities.
Opportunity for a Chatbot
Additionally, the feedback highlighted a critical pain point: onboarding difficulties and a lack of technical support. This presented an opportunity to create a chatbot that could assist users, providing immediate help and guidance.
Outcomes
After the redesign, the results were overwhelmingly positive:
All 61 reviews 5-star on Microsoft AppSource.
Gartner 2020: SelfDrvn, leader in Employee Experience Tech.
Key Performance Metrics
Our integration and design efforts resulted in remarkable improvements:
Reflections and Key Takeaways
While the success of revamp was a fortunate outcome, it also highlighted the importance of taking calculated risks and prioritizing research in product development. Going forward, I believe that we should establish solid research and testing frameworks to validate concepts before full-scale development.
Conclusion
My time at SelfDrvn has been a transformative experience. By tackling existing challenges with innovative design solutions, we not only enhanced employee engagement but also achieved significant business results. This journey has deepened my commitment to UI/UX design, and I look forward to continuing to create impactful products that drive positive change in organizations.
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