Teams EDU Vision Refresh

Problem

Teams is designed for Enterprise workers. And for many years, we’ve asked teachers and students to use a product that was not designed for them despite which students and teachers globally have continued using the product that is feature packed enabling hybrid learning.

Approach

We facilitated a cross-geo design sprint to rethink EDU IA, prototyping EDU-first experiences such as Class Home, Grid View, and Topics. We simplified navigation, explored Copilot EDU flows, and built a modular IA enabling future EDU apps like Assignments and School Connection.

Outcomes

• Phased rollout with Grid View implemented in Phase 1, serving as foundation for Class Home.
• Engaged users up by 19% on desktop, showing stronger student adoption.
• Improved NPS on desktop, confirming higher satisfaction among teachers and students.
• Simplified IA → improved comprehension and task success in educator testing.
• Seeded AI-first EDU story influencing roadmap for Copilot in classrooms.

Reflection

Leading this project reinforced the importance of balancing enterprise vs. EDU needs within a shared platform. It showed how co-design with students and teachers shaped the vision. Beyond design craft, the project became a leadership exercise in two key areas: balancing my role as a manager and IC, and influencing product direction while business priorities evolved.

• Empathy & Co-Design — direct feedback drove pivots like Grid View.
• Design Strategy — shaped a modular IA and vision deck for EDU.
• Coaching & Contribution — learned to balance mentoring the team with contributing hands-on design work when needed.
• Influencing Product Strategy — advocated for EDU-first flows and AI scenarios even as enterprise-focused priorities shifted, ensuring student and teacher needs remained visible in roadmap discussions.
• Leadership Growth — evolved into a storyteller and influencer for EDU within Microsoft.