Project Overview
Requirements Breakdown
Goals
To solve this, I proactively proposed a unified framework for the editing panel, aligning teams on a shared direction. This ensured that future design decisions followed a cohesive structure, reducing fragmentation over time.
Deliverables
Propose one or two concepts:
- Fresh new features / enhance the existing ones
- Forward-looking visionary designs with Key task flows
Reviewer
Product feature team
My Solution
Enhance the existing feature: Fill PDF form in Onedrive Mobile.
Evaluation Platforms
iOS 16.6.1: OneDrive APP, Microsoft 365
macOS 13.5.2: Microsoft Edge browser
Exercise Timeline
Research
1. Understand PDF Capabilities in OneDrive Mobile APP
I began by cataloging the current functionalities available for PDFs within OneDrive mobile. This provided a foundational understanding of the existing user experience and set the stage for deeper analysis.
Market Research
iOS: Add notes, text, pictures, or freehand markup to PDF files using the Markup tool
Android: Use the Markup toolbar to exit, undo, redo, navigate, pen, highlight, note, text, and erase.
2. Understand PDF’s Unique Role and Functionality
In order to better understand the functionalities and uniqueness of the format PDF within OneDrive mobile. I use the Historical Context Analysis core value proposition of the PDF file format within others.
Historical Context Analysis of PDF Format
Insights
Cross-Device Formatting:
- Previously: Printed forms or computer input.
- Now: Mobile device usage has increased, making form-filling less convenient.
- Uniqueness: PDFs are unique for their precise formatting, making them ideal for printing and irreplaceable by other file formats.
Reading Habits: Evolving with options like web pages, reading modes, eReaders (e.g., Kindle), and epub format.
Annotation Tools: Notability and other digital notebooks gaining popularity.
3. Define the Design Scope
In recognizing that this component is one of several important features within the larger OneDrive mobile APP & Microsoft 365 APP ecosystem on mobile, I utilized a top-down approach. This method ensures a structured analysis, clearly defining the scope of my design specifically for the OneDrive mobile app. It also ensures that any design changes align with the app’s main objectives and user expectations.
Top-Down Approach
Insights
Portable and Cross-platform Synchronization
4. Define Competitive Advantages and Identifying Areas for Improvement
I conducted a competitive analysis to uncover strengths and weaknesses, gain a strategic advantage, and identify areas for innovation.
Competitive & Comparative Analysis
Usability Test (Me as a User)
Annotation:
- Issue: Lack of a one-click delete function for annotations.
- Save / Star / Sort by Type
Shapes:
- Issue 1: When drawing shapes, users can't move, resize, or drag them. Clicking only adds more shapes, and only after completion can further editing be done.
- Issue 2: Shapes added on mobile can't be modified on the desktop version.
Note:
- Issue: The note feature is too small, making it almost invisible to users.
Backup Functionality:
- Suggestion: Introduce a "Make a Copy" or "Save as a New File" function. This is especially useful when attempting to modify or annotate a file and wanting a backup.
Indications:
- Issue: A lack of clear indications/icons. Users found it time-consuming and challenging to determine the meaning of certain icons.
Homepage-Shared Section:
- Issue: This section only displays files that have been added by the user.
However, users are also looking for files that they're collaborating on with others.
Update Delays:
- Suggestion: It would be beneficial to have in-app notifications either on the "Activity" label or "Shared" label or through banner notifications to update users in real-time.
Journey Map
Goal: Fill out a form on mobile and print it.
Research Insights Summary
- Scope: OneDrive is good at annotation, but the functions of create are mostly incorporated in Microsoft 365.
- Consistency: OneDrive for iOS and for Android are not consistent, some convenient functions on Android are not included on iOS.
- Font Size and Format Adaptation: Professionals sharing documents where layout precision is essential. However, non-responsive PDF interfaces are inconvenient to be checked on mobile devices. Words in forms could be tiny and require zooming.
- Quick refresh/update: this could significantly enhance the collaboration experience but increase the back-end requirement.
Conclusion: Form-filling is one of the core scenarios for PDF, but it has a lot to be developed on mobile platforms.
Target User & Scenario: Professionals sharing documents where layout precision is essential.
Ideation
Persona
"At the print shop, as I scrambled with my phone's erratic cursor, every computer was occupied and the courier was almost here."
Design Direction
Must Have
- Adaptation with Mobile Screen
Nice To Have
- Seamless Editing
- AI Assistant
- Auto Fill with Microsoft Account
- Backup function
Summary
Solution
"How might we design a form-filling experience that minimizes the need for users to repeatedly zoom in and out, particularly for professionals for whom document layout accuracy is critical?"
Next Step
- Refine the design of the form-filling format.
- Integrate a progress bar and other features to indicate completion status.
- Design an interactive PDF template specifically for form entry