Azure + OpenAI
From Friction to Flow
cloud computing
Design systems
ai features
Background
Picture the Azure Portal as a hardware store: every tool you could ever need is on the shelves, but first‑time builders often walk in, bewildered, and walk out empty‑handed.
In early 2025, I worked with my team to create a pre‑packed "project kit"—a Recommended Services flow plus a one‑click Sample App—so developers could grab everything they need for an AI‑powered workload and be building in minutes, not hours.
My Roles
Lead Product Designer – defined interaction model, visual hierarchy, and component styling
Cross‑functional Partner – communication across organizations with engineering, research, and PM across three time zones, translating constraints into design opportunities.
Design Goals
Research & Insights
To validate our direction, I partnered with researchers to run a rapid usability study targeting engineers and developers. The study focused on evaluating the clarity and effectiveness of the deployment flow.
We learned that while users appreciated the concept of bundled services and the sample app, they struggled with entry point discoverability and configuration clarity. These insights directly informed our next design iteration.
Iteration
Based on research findings, I redesigned the entry points and our team also introduced preset configurations to reduce decision fatigue and support quick alignment with developer needs. These changes were positive changes in improving clarity for users.
Impact
This feature demonstrated how thoughtful UX, paired with AI, can transform complex technical workflows into intuitive, empowering experiences. This project deepened my understanding of AI-integrated UX and reinforced the value of designing with the future of software collaborating with AI and not ignoring it as a beneficial tool for our users.
For more information on the AOAI sample app feature, please see: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/open-ai-quickstart?tabs=aoai