OneUp

Before : No way to collaborate and edit on content.

After : A simplified command bar and easy for content collaboration

Enable : PDF Editng in OneDrive Business

Problem

PDFs are the second most common file type in OneDrive for Business after Office files; however, users could previously only view PDFs, with no editing capabilities in OneDrive or SharePoint.

Solution

To address frequent requests for quick signing and annotation, I designed a comprehensive end-to-end experience. The solution included custom tool cursors, interaction states, color and line weight controls, editable text boxes, and resizing functionality. After conducting usability testing and iterating based on feedback, the design was optimized for intuitiveness and ease of use. Below are few key frames showcasing the final design.

Team
‍Designer (myself) x 1
Researcher x 1
PM x 1
‍
‍Timeline
‍Joined in April 2019
Feature release in January 2020

Unlock : Opening Files in Any Preferred Desktop App

Problem

To properly edit non-Office files required a clunky manual workflow:
Download → Open → Edit → Save → Upload → Overwrite

Solution

To solve this, we built the “Open in Desktop” feature as below.
Open → Edit → Save (with OneDrive Sync, download and upload in the backend system ) . This was a top blocker for Box-to-OneDrive migration, and a scenario specifically requested by partners like Adobe, AutoCAD, and Corel.

Team
Designer (myself) x 1
Researcher x 1
PM x 1
Engineering Team x 1

Timeline 
2020 July - Dec

Users can simply click a file in OneDrive and start editing it in their preferred desktop app—no extra steps or friction.

OneDrive Sync automatically downloads the file to a hidden local folder and uploads the edited version in the background.

Challenge

In this project, it was crucial to communicate to engineers why syncing only the edited file—and auto-removing it from a hidden local folder—is both simpler for users and more sustainable long-term.
‍I designed a comparison table to walk through the options and associated engineering debt and pushed through the best design option.

Photos (Editing)

Photos (Motion and group )

Videos (Stream App features Integration)

Coherent File One-Up experience

Context

The OneUp experience occurred when a file was opened in OneDrive for Business. Although the OneUp view was used for PDFs, photos, and videos, each file type was supported by a different team. As various teams developed new tools and features, inconsistent interface elements emerged as a major design challenge. The lack of standardization disrupted user muscle memory and created a fragmented experience.

V-Team
OneDrive File - Lead Designer*1 (myself)
Office Media Group - Designers*2
Stream Video - Designers*2
OneDrive List - Designers*2

Timeline
2021 Jan - Nov

My Role

As the lead designer for OneUp experience coherence, I collaborated closely with 6+ designers across different product areas to shape a unified design for various file-type use cases. I drove alignment by hosting weekly meetings and design sessions, helping the team communicate design rationale, navigate conflicting stakeholder interests, and coordinate efforts across teams. In the end, we built a customizable yet coherent design framework that met diverse needs while ensuring cohesive, scalable outcomes. Below are a few screens that showcase the process.

I built a customizable yet coherent design framework

Created by our V-team. OneUp design library that ensures cohesive and scalable OneUp experience.

Integration Design Process- Microsoft Stream Apps in OneDrive Business

File One-Up North Star Pattern

Context

While working on the OneUp experience, I drew valuable insights from previous research conducted across multiple projects. I aimed to incorporate these learnings into the OneUp design. However, due to technical constraints and cross-organizational scope limitations, we prioritized the feasible solution as shown before.

My Role

In parallel, I developed a vision concept based on the research findings to guide future design efforts. This forward-looking direction included:

1. A default dark background for all file types to enhance focus and improve the viewing experience.
2. Displaying collaborators on the file to support user needs for easy, real-time collaboration.
3. Quick access to AI-powered features through a smart left-side pane for greater efficiency.

Teams :
Designer*1 (myself)  

Timeline :
2021 Oct - Nov

I developed a vision concept based on the research findings.

File One-Up Microsoft 365 EntryPoint

Context

We also defined how the flow and interactions should work cohesively across Microsoft experiences. The V-Team expanded to include 11 designers from multiple teams, all aligned around the “Uber File” as the unified direction for future file-opening experiences.

Uber File” as the unified direction for future file-opening experiences across Microsoft 365

Teams :
OneDrive Business 
Design Manager *1
Designer (myself) *1 

Office Media Group, Stream Video, OneDrive List, OneDrive Sox, Teams, SharePoint.
Designer * 11

Timeline :
2021 Oct - 2022 Feb