Founding Design Leadership:
10 Years Building Mix NLU
Mix NLU Tool Design: Visual Design for Conversational AI
Mix NLU Tool Design: Visual Design for Conversational AI
Designing a scalable conversational AI platform from startup through Microsoft
Designing a scalable conversational AI platform from startup through Microsoft
Designing a scalable conversational AI platform from startup through Microsoft
Company
Microsoft
(Nuance Communications)
My Role
Founding Team Member,
Principal Visual UX/UI Designer,
Product Owner, Mentor
Collaborators
Product Management,
Engineering
Timeframe
2015-2025
Scale and Reach
Scale and Reach
Scale and Reach
Design supported product and platform growth for new features, capabilities, and users serving 100+ companies.
10 Years of Building
10 Years of Building
10 Years of Building
1 of 3 founding team members who grew the platform from one tool to a global solution acquired by Microsoft.
About
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Acquired by Microsoft in 2022.
Acquired by Microsoft in 2022.
Acquired by Microsoft in 2022.
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In 2015, this technology was a true first to market first.
In 2015, this technology was a true first to market first.
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Natural Language Understanding (NLU) models for chatbots and voice assistants demanded high technical expertise and manual effort.
Natural Language Understanding (NLU) models for chatbots and voice assistants demanded high technical expertise and manual effort.
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The platform served 100+ companies including Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations such as Fidelity, Bank of America, USAA, Delta, FedEx, and Lowe's.
The platform served 100+ companies including Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations such as Fidelity, Bank of America, USAA, Delta, FedEx, and Lowe's.
The platform served 100+ companies including Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations such as Fidelity, Bank of America, USAA, Delta, FedEx, and Lowe's.
My Role
My Role
My Role
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Founding team member.
Founding team member.
Founding team member.
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Owned the design for the product's foundational UI architecture, reusable component system, and visual design language.
Owned the design for the product's foundational UI architecture, reusable component system, and visual design language.
Owned the design for the product's foundational UI architecture, reusable component system, and visual design language.
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Scaled UX/UI from the platform's 2015 launch through Microsoft's acquisition of Nuance in 2022.
Scaled UX/UI from the platform's 2015 launch through Microsoft's acquisition of Nuance in 2022.
Scaled UX/UI from the platform's 2015 launch through Microsoft's acquisition of Nuance in 2022.
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Grew the design team from 4 to 8 designers + research.
Grew the design team from 4 to 8 designers + research.
Grew the design team from 4 to 8 designers + research.
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Product owner and subject matter expert:
Product owner and subject matter expert:
Product owner and subject matter expert:
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Distilled requirements with product management for design and ensured on-time high-quality design.
Distilled requirements with product management for design and ensured on-time high-quality design.
Distilled requirements with product management for design and ensured on-time high-quality design.
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Mentored 2-3 designers.
Mentored 2-3 designers.
Mentored 2-3 designers.
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Led the Voice design pillar during Microsoft integration.
Led the Voice design pillar during Microsoft integration.
Led the Voice design pillar during Microsoft integration.
THE CHALLENGE
Complexity and Evolution at Scale
Complexity and Evolution at Scale
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Design the interface and experience for a product category that had never existed before.
Design the interface and experience for a product category that had never existed before.
Design the interface and experience for a product category that had never existed before.
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Design for non-technical users at launch and later adapt for expert users as the conversational AI landscape evolved.
Design for non-technical users at launch and later adapt for expert users as the conversational AI landscape evolved.
Design for non-technical users at launch and later adapt for expert users as the conversational AI landscape evolved.
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Leverage design to drive platform growth while maintaining company-wide speed and efficiency.
Leverage design to drive platform growth while maintaining company-wide speed and efficiency.
Leverage design to drive platform growth while maintaining company-wide speed and efficiency.
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Advocating for human-centered design in a highly technical and manual field.
Advocating for human-centered design in a highly technical and manual field.
Advocating for human-centered design in a highly technical and manual field.
2015-2025
2015-2025
2015-2025
Visualizing Connected Relationships
Visualizing Connected Relationships
Two-Panel Structure:
Creating Visual Clarity
for Complex Relationships
The Challenge
The Challenge
The Challenge
How to design an intuitive interface for a first-of-its-kind product category specifically for non-technical users?
How to design an intuitive interface for a first-of-its-kind product category specifically for non-technical users?
How to design an intuitive interface for a first-of-its-kind product category specifically for non-technical users?
The Solution
The Solution
The Solution
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A two-panel layout was used to visualize the 2 foundational components for a natural language understanding (NLU) model.
A two-panel layout was used to visualize the 2 foundational components for a natural language understanding (NLU) model.
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The interface balanced light and dark panels to create distinct, focused work areas.
The interface balanced light and dark panels to create distinct, focused work areas.
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Panels were positioned side-by-side to immediately communicate their connection.
Panels were positioned side-by-side to immediately communicate their connection.
Non-technical users
Develop Tab Design: 2 Panels
Develop Tab Design: 2 Panels
Left panel
Left panel
Left panel
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This panel is larger for visual weight to establish this as the starting point.
This panel is larger for visual weight to establish this as the starting point.
This panel is larger for visual weight to establish this as the starting point.
Right panel
Right panel
Right panel
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Secondary but connected; a specific work zone but proximity indicates its relationship to the left.
Secondary but connected; a specific work zone but proximity indicates its relationship to the left.
Secondary but connected; a specific work zone but proximity indicates its relationship to the left.
10 Years Later
10 Years Later
10 Years Later
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The visual 2 panel structure never changed and was incorporated throughout the entire platform.
The visual 2 panel structure never changed and was incorporated throughout the entire platform.
The visual 2 panel structure never changed and was incorporated throughout the entire platform.
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Scaled for new data types and capabilities with expansion into a second tool for the platform.
Scaled for new data types and capabilities with expansion into a second tool for the platform.
Scaled for new data types and capabilities with expansion into a second tool for the platform.
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New display options for light, dark, or hybrid.
New display options for light, dark, or hybrid.
New display options for light, dark, or hybrid.
2020-2025
2020-2025
2020-2025
Unlocking the power for expert users
Unlocking the power for expert users
Unlocking the power for expert users
The Challenge
The Challenge
The Challenge
How do you provide power and speed for experts without compromising the intuitive foundation built for beginners?
How do you provide power and speed for experts without compromising the intuitive foundation built for beginners?
How do you provide power and speed for experts without compromising the intuitive foundation built for beginners?
The Solution
The Solution
The Solution
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I created a new area called the Optimize tab for experts only.
I created a new area called the Optimize tab for experts only.
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I designed comprehensive, filterable data table that simultaneously gave visibility into all samples.
I designed comprehensive, filterable data table that simultaneously gave visibility into all samples.
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The filter panel allowed them to distill their data.
The filter panel allowed them to distill their data.
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Panels were positioned side-by-side to immediately communicate their connection.
Panels were positioned side-by-side to immediately communicate their connection.
Expert users
Optimize Tab Design: Reusable filters panel
Optimize Tab Design: Reusable filters panel
Outcomes
Outcomes
Outcomes
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Successfully brought expert users back to the platform by providing what they wanted.
Successfully brought expert users back to the platform by providing what they wanted.
Successfully brought expert users back to the platform by providing what they wanted.
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The filter panel was re-purposed in one other area of the tool to improve the overall user experience and maintain consistency.
The filter panel was re-purposed in one other area of the tool to improve the overall user experience and maintain consistency.
The filter panel was re-purposed in one other area of the tool to improve the overall user experience and maintain consistency.
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The second implementation of the panel was quickly achieved within 1–2 sprints.
The second implementation of the panel was quickly achieved within 1–2 sprints.
The second implementation of the panel was quickly achieved within 1–2 sprints.
2015→2020-2025
2015→2020-2025
2015→2020-2025
Opportunistic Design: Revitalizing Discover
Opportunistic Design: Revitalizing Discover
Opportunistic Design: Revitalizing Discover
The Challenge
The Challenge
The Challenge
How do you help users navigate an overwhelming amount of data to find exactly what they need to make improvements?
The Solution
The Solution
The Solution
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While designing the advanced filter panel for Optimize in 2020, I identified an opportunity to revitalize the original 2015 Discover tab.
While designing the advanced filter panel for Optimize in 2020, I identified an opportunity to revitalize the original 2015 Discover tab.
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Leveraged the same filtering architecture to bring consistency to how users interact with large datasets across different areas of the tool.
Leveraged the same filtering architecture to bring consistency to how users interact with large datasets across different areas of the tool.
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By applying a proven interaction model to the Discover tab, I enabled users to distill complex data into actionable insights more effectively.
By applying a proven interaction model to the Discover tab, I enabled users to distill complex data into actionable insights more effectively.
Expert users
Discover Tab Design: Repurposed filters panel
Discover Tab Design: Repurposed filters panel
Filter panel adapted from Optimize to Discover - same architecture, customized filter options.
Winning efficiency
Winning efficiency
Winning efficiency
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Original design and implementation:
Original design and implementation:
Original design and implementation:
3-4 sprints
3-4 sprints
3-4 sprints
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Repurposed and implemented:
Repurposed and implemented:
Repurposed and implemented:
1 sprint
1 sprint
1 sprint
Impact
Impact
Impact
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As a founding team member, I designed the foundational UI structure for Mix NLU that stood the test of time.
As a founding team member, I designed the foundational UI structure for Mix NLU that stood the test of time.
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The architecture remained the platform standard from the 2015 launch through the 2022 Microsoft acquisition and rebrand to Microsoft Voice Studio.
The architecture remained the platform standard from the 2015 launch through the 2022 Microsoft acquisition and rebrand to Microsoft Voice Studio.
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The design supported years of platform growth, serving 100+ companies including Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations.
The design supported years of platform growth, serving 100+ companies including Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations.
Scale and Reach
Scale and Reach
Scale and Reach
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Established platform-wide consistency with a global visual interface design.
Established platform-wide consistency with a global visual interface design.
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Design supported product and platform growth for new features, capabilities, and users.
Design supported product and platform growth for new features, capabilities, and users.
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Grew the design team from 4 to 8, mentoring 2-3 designers.
Grew the design team from 4 to 8, mentoring 2-3 designers.
10 Years of Evolution
10 Years of Evolution
10 Years of Evolution
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Part of 3-person founding team that launched Mix platform (2015).
Part of 3-person founding team that launched Mix platform (2015).
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Scaled to serve 100+ companies including Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations.
Scaled to serve 100+ companies including Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations.
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Survived Microsoft acquisition (2022) and integrated into Copilot Studio.
Survived Microsoft acquisition (2022) and integrated into Copilot Studio.
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I was the PM for Mix NLU and Marissa Talbot's contributions were invaluable in its success.
I was the PM for Mix NLU and Marissa Talbot's contributions were invaluable in its success.
I was the PM for Mix NLU and Marissa Talbot's contributions were invaluable in its success.
- Ushhan Gundevia, Senior Product Manager, Copilot Studio, Microsoft
- Ushhan Gundevia, Senior Product Manager, Copilot Studio, Microsoft