Microsoft
Microsoft
Search Progress
Search Progress
Future-ready information literacy tools for students.
Future-ready information literacy tools for students.
Future-ready information literacy tools for students.
UX Design
UX & UI Design
UI Design
Web
Mobile
Project TLDR
Project TLDR
Project TLDR
My Role
Led the design and end-to-end UX, translating research into a framework-driven product strategy that shaped Microsoft Education’s approach to teaching information literacy.
Led the design and end-to-end UX, translating research into a framework-driven product strategy that shaped Microsoft Education’s approach to teaching information literacy.
PROJECT SCOPE
Partnered with PM, engineering, and research teams to align on strategy, validate design directions, and deliver a global launch in just 4 months.
Partnered with PM, engineering, and research teams to align on strategy, validate design directions, and deliver a global launch in just 4 months.
tools
Figma, FigJam, Azure DevOps.
context & objective
Closing the Literacy Gap No One Talks About
Closing the Literacy Gap No One Talks About
Today’s students are growing up in an AI-powered world where information literacy is as foundational as reading and writing. Yet many lack the skills to search critically, filter intelligently, and communicate effectively.
I led the citation feature design of Search Progress, a Microsoft Education app that equips students with future ready skills while supporting teachers in guiding safe, responsible, and effective online research.
Today’s students are growing up in an AI-powered world where information literacy is as foundational as reading and writing. Yet many lack the skills to search critically, filter intelligently, and communicate effectively.
I led the citation feature design of Search Progress, a Microsoft Education app that equips students with future ready skills while supporting teachers in guiding safe, responsible, and effective online research.
research & insights
What Students Struggle With Most
What Students Struggle With Most
I conducted student and teacher interviews, and secondary research. Three key challenges emerged:
I conducted student and teacher interviews, and secondary research. Three key challenges emerged:
Surface-level search habits
Surface-level search habits
Students copied the first result without checking credibility.
Students copied the first result without checking credibility.
Overwhelming & distracting
Overwhelming & distracting
Open tabs, irrelevant links, and “rabbit holes” pulled focus away.
Open tabs, irrelevant links, and “rabbit holes” pulled focus away.
Lack of accountability
Lack of accountability
Teachers had little visibility into how students searched, only what they submitted.
Teachers had little visibility into how students searched, only what they submitted.
From these insights, I defined three guiding principles to shape the user journey. These focused on building positive habits, supporting focus, and giving teachers visibility into the search process:
From these insights, I defined three guiding principles to shape the user journey. These focused on building positive habits, supporting focus, and giving teachers visibility into the search process:
Simplify to support focus
Simplify to support focus
Reduce cognitive load so students can stay on task.
Reduce cognitive load so students can stay on task.
Design for clarity and accountability
Design for clarity and accountability
Make the search process transparent and trackable.
Make the search process transparent and trackable.
Elevate search into a lasting skill
Elevate search into a lasting skill
Treat search as a transferable skill, not just a one-off task.
Treat search as a transferable skill, not just a one-off task.
Improved student journey mapping based on insights and principles.
Improved student journey mapping based on insights and principles.
ideation & strategy
Designing for Future-Ready Skills
Designing for Future-Ready Skills
Instead of quick fixes, like blocking sites or locking down browsers, I proposed a framework-driven approach:
Instead of quick fixes, like blocking sites or locking down browsers, I proposed a framework-driven approach:
Support student autonomy while scaffolding critical thinking.
Provide teacher visibility without adding workload.
Design for skills transfer so students can carry these abilities beyond the classroom.
Support student autonomy while scaffolding critical thinking.
Provide teacher visibility without adding workload.
Design for skills transfer so students can carry these abilities beyond the classroom.
prototyping & testing
Balancing Support and Autonomy
Balancing Support and Autonomy
I rapidly prototyped flows and tested them with students and teachers. Key iterations included:
I rapidly prototyped flows and tested them with students and teachers. Key iterations included:
Search Filters: Early versions confused students. I simplified options made them usable in real classrooms.
Backgrounds & Class Settings: Teachers requested more control over scaffolding. I added custom settings to balance flexibility with focus.
Citation Support: Students didn’t know how to cite properly. I added built-in citation scaffolding to reinforce academic integrity.
Search Filters: Early versions confused students. I simplified options made them usable in real classrooms.
Backgrounds & Class Settings: Teachers requested more control over scaffolding. I added custom settings to balance flexibility with focus.
Citation Support: Students didn’t know how to cite properly. I added built-in citation scaffolding to reinforce academic integrity.
FEATURES
Assignment details
Assignment details
This is the student's view when an educator assigns a Search Progress assignment.
This is the student's view when an educator assigns a Search Progress assignment.
Click into Search Progress assignment
Click into Search Progress assignment
Students see the assignment instructions and requirements, like the minimum number of sources, set by their educator, helping them stay focused and organized.
Search for source
Search for source
Students can use the built-in search bar to find scholarly articles, websites, and other sources, refining their search with filters to hone in on the most relevant material.
Students can use the built-in search bar to find scholarly articles, websites, and other sources, refining their search with filters to hone in on the most relevant material.
Cite source
Cite source
Once students save sources, the citation tool guides them in creating proper citations, formatted according to academic standards (e.g., APA7). Students can easily add these citations to their assignment.
Once students save sources, the citation tool guides them in creating proper citations, formatted according to academic standards (e.g., APA7). Students can easily add these citations to their assignment.
Summary of sources
Summary of sources
After gathering and citing sources, students view a summary of their collected resources, along with an overview of their search patterns. They can easily copy citations to include in their assignments, if needed.
After gathering and citing sources, students view a summary of their collected resources, along with an overview of their search patterns. They can easily copy citations to include in their assignments, if needed.
Accessibility considerations
Accessibility considerations
Ensuring accessibility is key to providing an inclusive experience for all students. In Search Progress, we’ve implemented both Dark Mode and High Contrast versions to cater to diverse visual needs, keyboard navigation, and alt text for screen readers. These features ensure that all users can engage with the platform effectively, promoting an inclusive learning space.
Ensuring accessibility is key to providing an inclusive experience for all students. In Search Progress, we’ve implemented both Dark Mode and High Contrast versions to cater to diverse visual needs, keyboard navigation, and alt text for screen readers. These features ensure that all users can engage with the platform effectively, promoting an inclusive learning space.
outcomes
From Classroom Tool to Literacy Framework
From Classroom Tool to Literacy Framework
Adoption: Piloted in multiple classrooms across Microsoft Education channels.
Student Growth: Reported feeling more confident in explaining why sources were credible, not just what they found.
Strategic Impact: Helped shape Microsoft Education’s future ready skills vision for AI literacy.
Adoption: Piloted in multiple classrooms across Microsoft Education channels.
Student Growth: Reported feeling more confident in explaining why sources were credible, not just what they found.
Strategic Impact: Helped shape Microsoft Education’s future ready skills vision for AI literacy.
Adoption: Piloted in multiple classrooms across Microsoft Education channels.
Student Growth: Reported feeling more confident in explaining why sources were credible, not just what they found.
Strategic Impact: Helped shape Microsoft Education’s future ready skills vision for AI literacy.
Teacher Feedback:
Teacher Feedback:
"Teaching students to evaluate the information they find online is essential in today's world. Search Progress is an indispensable tool in that effort."
"Teaching students to evaluate the information they find online is essential in today's world. Search Progress is an indispensable tool in that effort."
"Teaching students to evaluate the information they find online is essential in today's world. Search Progress is an indispensable tool in that effort."
-Middle school teacher
-Middle school teacher
-Middle school teacher
Bruyère Research Institute
Pal: A smart-home care partner for caregivers of those living with dementia.
Pal: A smart-home care partner for caregivers of those living with dementia.
Pal: A smart-home care partner for caregivers of those living with dementia.
Product Design
UX & UI Design
Systems Thinking