Overview

I worked with Program Managers to explore new features for Visual Studio. I provided iterations on design ideas by utilizing whiteboard sketching, multiple iterations of comps, and high fidelity prototyping. 

I worked on features in the following areas: the kanban board and it's preferences panel, and the Work Item Form.

Activities for this client

• Requirements gathering
• Ideation and sketching
• Low- and high-fidelity prototyping
• UX/UI design
• Redlining
• Collaboration and follow up with dev teams

Kanban board

Accessibility color exploration for kanban board cards

The Visual Studio team needed to see background color options for kanban board work item cards. My challenge was to create a color palette that was diverse, provided readability, and met accessibility standards.

I first looked to other Microsoft products for an analysis of background colors already in use. I applied these findings to a color palette for Visual Studio. For accessibility standards, I tested the color palette using two tools: one that showed how individuals with color blindness see, and one that tested for acceptable contrast ratio. I made adjustments based on these test results.

Work Item Form

The Visual Studio team had recently started redesigning the Work Item Form to reduce chrome, and to display content more efficiently. I was tasked to explore options for some of the new functionality, including: content layout; tab styles; and a new discussion feature.

Tab style iterations

The examples below show an exploration of different ideas for a new tab feature. Tabs would allow users to efficiently manage more information on the Work Item Form. My challenge here was to provide many options for tab styles that would fit in with existing design, and feel consistent with the overall product.

Discussion feature options

The example below shows an exploration of elements for a new discussion feature on the Work Item Form.