By reimagining the install flow, we unlocked discoverability, trust, and new growth potential for GlobalMeet.

Project Overview

GlobalMeet’s Outlook Add-In was a highly used but low-visibility product. It suffered from poor discoverability and a complicated installation process, despite offering critical meeting scheduling capabilities.

Business Goal
Increase adoption and reinforce brand reputation by modernizing the Add-In for inclusion in the Microsoft AppSource store, creating a seamless install experience and showcasing GlobalMeet as a trusted, modern collaboration platform.

User Need
Customers struggled to find, install, and understand the purpose of the Add-In, despite its utility.

My Role
As the Product Designer, I led the end-to-end UX effort auditing the current experience, simplifying the feature set, applying brand guidelines, and reimagining the experience from discovery through usage.

Success Metrics

• Reduce drop-off in the install process

• Increase discoverability via the Microsoft Store

• Reinforce brand values through UX/UI

• Submit and approve the Add-In for AppSource publication

The Gap
Despite being the most engaged-with product in the suite, the Add-In was nearly invisible to new customers. Installation required hunting through a help site and following a 14-step, multi-tool process that created friction and abandonment.

Team
An informal, passionate cross-functional team rallied around this side project:

• Product Owner: Cheryl

• Design Director: Rishi

• Software Engineer: Charles

• UX/UI Design: Lexa (me)

Design Process

Discovery

• I conducted a UX audit that mapped the user journey through discovery and installation flows, identified user drop-off points, and outlined all the featured available in the tool

Key insights

• Low Discoverability

• High Drop-Off Risk in Install

• Unclear Product Purpose

Constraints

• This was an off-roadmap, side project initiative

• Tight timeline and very limited engineering resourcing

• Scope limited to the Add-In UI, not email templates or other touch points

Collaboration

• Shared key insights with the team, which led to two key decisions:

  • Submit the Add-In to Microsoft Store to fix discovery and installation

  • Define a focused MVP to streamline features and reduce complexity

UX Recommendations

• Cut features from 8 to 3, keeping Scheduling, Settings, and Support

• Created new landing screen to express product value

• Proposed a "Sign up for free" CTA for prospective customer acquisition
  

What We Built

• Redesigned Add-In with simplified architecture and updated UI to reflect the new GlobalMeet brand

• Created a Microsoft-compliant version of the Add-In for the AppSource Store

• Designed a welcoming landing screen with brand-aligned messaging and lead-gen CTA

Before & After

• 14-step install → 1-click install

• Confusing navigation → Simplified sitemap

• No discovery path → Findable in Microsoft AppSource

My Contribution

• Led audit and synthesis

• Drove UX decisions

• Applied brand to digital product UI

• Collaborated with engineering and product for MVP scoping
  

Results

As a team we:

• Successfully published to Microsoft Store

• Improved discoverability and install accessibility

• Clarified product’s core purpose as a scheduling utility

• Team nominated for an internal company award

• New opportunity for lead generation through Add-In

• Reinforced brand values through Add-In: Energetic, Confident, Collaborative, Trusted
  

What I Learned

• Even side projects can deliver outsized impact when they solve real user pain points.

• A thoughtful UX audit can quickly reveal leverage points that change the trajectory of a product.

• When the product and brand voice align, customers feel it—and it builds trust.
  

What I’d Do Differently

• Push to include the full communication journey (e.g., onboarding emails)

• Extend usability testing to observe installation in real time, ideally earlier
  

Key Takeaway

Small, high-leverage experiences, like a plugin or Add-In, can become brand touch-points if we invest in them thoughtfully. Treat every user journey as a chance to reinforce your product promise.