https://catherinelegros.com Catherine Legros Mon, 05 Dec 2022 16:41:59 +0000 https://catherinelegros.com en https://catherinelegros.com/Home Mon, 08 Jul 2019 20:56:15 +0000 Catherine Legros https://catherinelegros.com/Home https://catherinelegros.com/Designing-at-Microsoft Mon, 05 Dec 2022 16:41:59 +0000 Catherine Legros https://catherinelegros.com/Designing-at-Microsoft Designing at Microsoft From December 2019 to November 2022, I worked on internal search for M365 users&nbsp; New feature integration and discoverabilityI lead the interaction and visual design of work search in Windows Search Box, from basic integration to discoverability features (pictured on the right). I got to partner with designers across M365, Windows 10 &amp; 11, WebXT.&nbsp; Ensuring users are comfortable about who can see work results&nbsp; I audited the privacy experience across work search, worked with users to identify pain points, proposed a research-backed solution that was implemented within that quarter, improving user satisfaction.&nbsp; Leadership I got to mentor design interns and apprentices and lead the Design Crit Pod initiative (weekly rotating critique groups) for the 40+ members design studio. <img width="1476" height="1430" width_o="1476" height_o="1430" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/29c085c541a675f32fab2c329cf363ed948d46c4576cc49120fb5e95f0b95c61/Screen-Shot-2022-12-05-at-11.48.33-AM.png" data-mid="161053381" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/29c085c541a675f32fab2c329cf363ed948d46c4576cc49120fb5e95f0b95c61/Screen-Shot-2022-12-05-at-11.48.33-AM.png" /> Words from colleagues “I have collaborated with Catherine on several projects, from privacy messaging, branding to WSB. Catherine is the type of designer that researchers dream to work with. (...) Under the hat of "designers," I found Catherine also has great research skills in defining research questions, synthesizing research learnings and communicating with stakeholders. I always deeply appreciate the fact that Catherine brings great energy into everything she works on and everyone she works with.“ - Fan Mai, PhD&nbsp; Lead Researcher at Microsoft&nbsp;“Quarter-after-quarter Catherine has taken new challenges in stride and has made successes out of those by her individual accomplishments (Enterprise Search in Windows Search Box all-up), contributing to other's success (through mentoring an studio leadership extracurriculars), and working with PM, Engineering, and our partner teams to collectively shape a future that is not only innovative, but achievable. These are all markers of an impactful product and design leader.”&nbsp; - Alex Lopez Principal Design Manager at Microsoft&nbsp; https://catherinelegros.com/Designing-at-YouTube Tue, 09 Jul 2019 01:15:53 +0000 Catherine Legros https://catherinelegros.com/Designing-at-YouTube Designing at YouTube&nbsp; During the summer of 2018, I interned at YouTube in the Bay Area, on the Search and Discovery Team.&nbsp;&nbsp; Multi-phase design I lead the multi-phase design of a new feature in YouTube Search results. I developped and mapped short-term, mid-term, and long-term designs, while aligning with long term vision of the platform as a whole.&nbsp; Large collaborative project&nbsp;I collaborated with designers on a cross-vertical project through a design sprint, several work sessions and feedback reviews.&nbsp; The work is currently confidential.&nbsp; <img width="3024" height="4032" width_o="3024" height_o="4032" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/725e9959e8c27e02e74352ff4bce892dec734f45e150ae43d748ee1d2aab8d02/IMG_5650.JPG" data-mid="46224107" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/725e9959e8c27e02e74352ff4bce892dec734f45e150ae43d748ee1d2aab8d02/IMG_5650.JPG" /> https://catherinelegros.com/Designing-at-Google Tue, 09 Jul 2019 00:37:31 +0000 Catherine Legros https://catherinelegros.com/Designing-at-Google Designing at Google&nbsp; During the summer of 2017, I interned at Google in New York City with the Firebase team (Google Developpers Products).&nbsp; Desiging for a complex audience&nbsp;Firebase’s audience are developpers and product managers. The tool manages their mobile and web apps.&nbsp; Main Project&nbsp; Leading the design of a new feature I was in charge of a new feature, from sketches to high fidelity mockups and componentization, alongside engineering. I created prototypes and study protocols and conducted in-person user testing to validate my design. The design became a component, to be used in different contexts throughout the platform.&nbsp; The work is currently confidential.&nbsp; &nbsp;Side Project Improving an existing design I conducted some testing on an existing design (in-app messaging) to identify usability issues. I solved them through new designs, working closely with the front-end engineering team. I created new icons for the message layout options, modified some copy, and created a more appropriate device preview (with landscape and portrait previews on phone and tablet). The new design was featured in a Techcrunch article (below).&nbsp; <img width="874" height="568" width_o="874" height_o="568" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bc9defe9d89aec3933b194b9d2b76d0301f2382c3c0703d38d756098b14858a5/Screen-Shot-2019-07-08-at-8.56.20-PM.png" data-mid="46223366" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/874/i/bc9defe9d89aec3933b194b9d2b76d0301f2382c3c0703d38d756098b14858a5/Screen-Shot-2019-07-08-at-8.56.20-PM.png" /> <img width="1952" height="1040" width_o="1952" height_o="1040" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ab9499f7d5e2eba7155668be64311a76f0f120904ed991d226c170791d245a1f/Screen-Shot-2019-07-08-at-8.58.11-PM.png" data-mid="46223568" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ab9499f7d5e2eba7155668be64311a76f0f120904ed991d226c170791d245a1f/Screen-Shot-2019-07-08-at-8.58.11-PM.png" /> https://catherinelegros.com/Disaster-Design-Principles Mon, 08 Jul 2019 20:56:15 +0000 Catherine Legros https://catherinelegros.com/Disaster-Design-Principles Disaster Design Principles disasterdesignprinciples.com is a library that provides guidance and resources for designing in the context of disasters. The principles are exemplified and research-backed and act as a starting point or as a user-centered checklist for teams working on their own people facing systems. <img width="1920" height="1080" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cdac50d317c6164fe2568aaeef7096d037aae1fe9defa3edc5a2b80b2bc51710/Frame.png" data-mid="46211632" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/cdac50d317c6164fe2568aaeef7096d037aae1fe9defa3edc5a2b80b2bc51710/Frame.png" /> <img width="757" height="711" width_o="757" height_o="711" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0af997a8e6e15f29de7ed2e93b46797324dd304a69a502f66804c5f033394c16/Frame-19.1.png" data-mid="46216313" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/757/i/0af997a8e6e15f29de7ed2e93b46797324dd304a69a502f66804c5f033394c16/Frame-19.1.png" /> Overview of the 16 design principles organized under four pillars on the home page<img width="486" height="738" width_o="486" height_o="738" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fcc5c4261a5454a402602d6a141b94dea917c0c0dc44d5390e9aabf4e7d7f210/make-it-multi-lingual.png" data-mid="46216112" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/486/i/fcc5c4261a5454a402602d6a141b94dea917c0c0dc44d5390e9aabf4e7d7f210/make-it-multi-lingual.png" />Principle page: Make it multilingual<img width="486" height="738" width_o="486" height_o="738" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3a3b45eefe2fbf4fdda0159417ae199e60d270a6d6daf568f50ba0a0067d6609/mythbusting.png" data-mid="46216113" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/486/i/3a3b45eefe2fbf4fdda0159417ae199e60d270a6d6daf568f50ba0a0067d6609/mythbusting.png" /> Principle page: Mythbusting<img width="486" height="738" width_o="486" height_o="738" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9a080513d0c5c18ed0d7f8590852420e1cc0efaa4db1be8c6cd43d557df65766/find-people.png" data-mid="46216111" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/486/i/9a080513d0c5c18ed0d7f8590852420e1cc0efaa4db1be8c6cd43d557df65766/find-people.png" /> Principle page: Find people where they already are<img width="486" height="735" width_o="486" height_o="735" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d317694cc76bcc612f387ee5dad6bb99d5d03baf628b94cc948c7a50056bbf3/steps-and-checklists.png" data-mid="46216196" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/486/i/7d317694cc76bcc612f387ee5dad6bb99d5d03baf628b94cc948c7a50056bbf3/steps-and-checklists.png" />Principle page: Steps and checklists ProblemThe research on people’s behaviours in disasters was scattered and the best design practices were not shared efficiently to the municipalities and teams in charge. This is a central resource to solve this problem<img width="1871" height="814" width_o="1871" height_o="814" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5a4a93582d3eeade446430abdc445981d85a5127f468c68d3ce199ad293f593c/4.png" data-mid="46216916" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5a4a93582d3eeade446430abdc445981d85a5127f468c68d3ce199ad293f593c/4.png" /> Impact This project won the Health Design Award for Innovation and will be part of the Global Grad Show in Dubai, showcasing social impact innovation from graduate students across the world. The tool has been presented to and approved by the British Columbia government and is moving towards becoming an official resource for the province’s municipalities. This library is currently online and accessible to any team working on the topic. <img width="1845" height="934" width_o="1845" height_o="934" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ea901cf39d1ffd74541e3e0f315ead0a1afc9348990b3d84cbf07af35c8ae246/4-1.png" data-mid="46216915" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ea901cf39d1ffd74541e3e0f315ead0a1afc9348990b3d84cbf07af35c8ae246/4-1.png" /> <img width="3024" height="1607" width_o="3024" height_o="1607" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e83bd32178601ca0bfa2182cb297fa6688ef85c2a97652194abc43ac3a815b51/IMG_4847.JPG" data-mid="46217491" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e83bd32178601ca0bfa2182cb297fa6688ef85c2a97652194abc43ac3a815b51/IMG_4847.JPG" /> “UX is a team sport” The project was developped over 8 months, in collaboration with interaction designers Amelia Koster and Brittany Williams, working with the province.&nbsp; Role&nbsp;I lead the strategic shifts through whiteboard exercises, brainstormings, and critique. I took charge of the project management and lead our design sprints. All three of us collaborated on the UI design using Figma. The research and testing were also collaborative. Graphic design and art direction were done by Amelia Koster and Brittany Williams. Process&nbsp;We initially designed our own multi touchpoints tool that would positively influence people’s behaviours in disasters.&nbsp; View&nbsp;UI iterations &nbsp; <img width="1920" height="1054" width_o="1920" height_o="1054" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9fefc1a0e4853ed74d2960036e019424953bbb91a08eace2f28578c5e95c399d/designs.png" data-mid="46217814" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9fefc1a0e4853ed74d2960036e019424953bbb91a08eace2f28578c5e95c399d/designs.png" /> What’s of value here? We realized what was most valuable and scalable was the research and testing guiding our design.&nbsp;<img width="1892" height="510" width_o="1892" height_o="510" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4c1cd469bc6effdc248d4e7725d909418381ebf17ac9383c929209ef61b0cea0/Frame-18.2.png" data-mid="46217688" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4c1cd469bc6effdc248d4e7725d909418381ebf17ac9383c929209ef61b0cea0/Frame-18.2.png" /> Abstract UI We simplified our designs to make the most relevant feature salient, through blockframing. <img width="1403" height="795" width_o="1403" height_o="795" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3c594ab00cae7ebb25f2ce8ae9c69f9d08e14ed129581ec96b62322e7ea29afb/block-framing.png" data-mid="46218317" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3c594ab00cae7ebb25f2ce8ae9c69f9d08e14ed129581ec96b62322e7ea29afb/block-framing.png" /> Organizing the principlesWe organized insights into pillars with principles and their illustrating examples and backing research.&nbsp; <img width="2308" height="1298" width_o="2308" height_o="1298" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b4f3111bf090c1aeabf5d8afaef08301f6f28b617bc9050c278d1b20e073961d/principles-org.jpeg" data-mid="46218733" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b4f3111bf090c1aeabf5d8afaef08301f6f28b617bc9050c278d1b20e073961d/principles-org.jpeg" /> Full case study on Medium For a longer version of the story with detailed UI iterations and user research.&nbsp;<img width="600" height="375" width_o="600" height_o="375" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/47b00a2af537587ed0b0b73dd7e5f01110287058875fe40efe5ed8e91e4139cc/ezgif.com-video-to-gif-2.gif" data-mid="46350397" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/600/i/47b00a2af537587ed0b0b73dd7e5f01110287058875fe40efe5ed8e91e4139cc/ezgif.com-video-to-gif-2.gif" /> https://catherinelegros.com/About Mon, 08 Jul 2019 20:56:17 +0000 Catherine Legros https://catherinelegros.com/About <img width="455" height="607" width_o="455" height_o="607" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a86b01c76836f187d90f92c70d1b77c1f71fbb2dda5e91e255cf06e2d3672f5c/579694f63bf5af714bd62a5a_Photo.png" data-mid="46224356" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/455/i/a86b01c76836f187d90f92c70d1b77c1f71fbb2dda5e91e255cf06e2d3672f5c/579694f63bf5af714bd62a5a_Photo.png" /> I first got to develop my interaction design skills when I co-founded a tech startup (2015), while living in Singapore.&nbsp;Since then, I have worked as a UX design intern at Google in NYC (2017) and at YouTube in the Bay Area (2018). I’ve also worked at Microsoft on the AI + Research team from 2019 to 2022, getting to shape the search experience on Windows 11.&nbsp; Years of entrepreneurship have turned me into a disciplined and strategic creative, who thrives when working alongside other designers and team members. Having design sprints, critiques, and collaborative work sessions on my calendar makes me happiest. &nbsp;I graduated from Emily Carr University with a Bachelor of Design, Interaction Design major. When I’m not designing, I’m most likely writing screenplays and reviewing&nbsp;books and films 📼 🌟 More projects and case studies available on Medium 📮Get in touch&nbsp;