Designed for a target 30% reduction in scheduling friction.
Productivity integration · 2023
Outlook Add-In
A scheduling workflow designed inside Microsoft Outlook to reduce context switching and make meeting management easier for legal technology users.
Aligned screens to Microsoft add-in constraints and Fluent UI patterns.
Simplified confirmation and review states after usability walkthroughs.
Created a reusable foundation for future meeting management features.
Problem
One scheduling task lived across multiple tools.
The add-in needed to respect Microsoft’s environment, stay accessible, and still support internal platform requirements. The design challenge was less about making a new app and more about fitting an existing workflow into a constrained context.
Approach
Let the host product define the constraint.
- Compared existing Outlook add-ins and Microsoft guidance to identify expected behaviors.
- Mapped service touchpoints between Outlook, internal dashboards, notifications, and meeting records.
- Held stakeholder workshops to align on use cases, technical feasibility, and release scope.
- Conducted rapid walkthroughs that exposed confusion around scheduling and confirmation screens.
Product screens
Add-in flow and validation states
The original project screens are presented as a slideshow so recruiters can move through the workflow without leaving the case study.
Design decisions
Reduce task-switching without hiding complexity.
- Kept the flow linear to avoid overwhelming users inside a narrow add-in panel.
- Used clear review and success states to create confidence before meeting creation.
- Designed around accessibility and familiar Microsoft patterns instead of forcing a custom UI language.
- Prioritized reusable flow structure for later expansion.
Jacob is excellent at communicating his designs between developers and stakeholders.
Kate Bishop