Customizing SharePoint for a Seamless Employee Experience
A modern SharePoint dashboard concept designed to enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and provide an intuitive, Aerie-branded user interface for teams.
Sector
Enterprise Workflow Automation
Challenge
Design a custom SharePoint dashboard to enhance user experience and streamline collaboration for Aerie Consulting. The goal was to replace outdated workflows with a modern, intuitive interface, enabling employees to easily track tasks, access important documents, and stay informed through a centralized, data-driven platform.
My Role
User Research, Wireframing & Prototyping, UX/UI Design, Workflow Optimization
Project Time:
1 month
Tools:
Adobe XD
OVERVIEW
SharePoint Dashboard Concept for Aerie Consulting
Aerie Consulting contracted me to design a modern, user-friendly dashboard concept to enhance the SharePoint experience. This concept was developed to serve as a customizable demo site that Aerie engineers could tailor to showcase SharePoint’s capabilities to potential clients.
The goal was to move beyond the default SharePoint interface and create a more visually engaging, intuitive, and branded experience. The redesigned dashboard aimed to:
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Streamline navigation with clear, action-driven UI elements.
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Improve user engagement through a clean, modern layout.
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Enhance accessibility and usability, making key information more discoverable.
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Demonstrate the flexibility of SharePoint customization to potential customers.
This project highlights how SharePoint can be transformed to better align with a company’s needs, creating a more efficient and user-friendly digital workspace.
SOLUTION
A Modern, User-Centric SharePoint Dashboard
To address Aerie Consulting’s need for a visually engaging and highly functional SharePoint demo, I designed a modern dashboard concept that enhances usability, navigation, and information accessibility. This redesigned interface provides a seamless user experience by integrating key productivity tools into a centralized hub.
Key Features of the Design Concept
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At-a-Glance Dashboard Metrics
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Tasks, Notifications, and Discussions are prominently displayed, providing users with real-time updates on their workload and communication threads.
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Clear visual indicators and icons improve readability and engagement.
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Integrated Calendar and Events Panel
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A calendar widget provides a quick overview of daily schedules and upcoming events.
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Users can see important meetings and deadlines at a glance, reducing the need to navigate elsewhere.
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Project Management Insights
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A dedicated projects section displays tasks with progress bars, making it easy for teams to track ongoing initiatives.
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Users can quickly identify project statuses and team contributions.
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Document Management System
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A streamlined document panel allows users to quickly access important files like proposals, communications, and presentation slides.
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File sizes and formats are displayed for easy reference.
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News & Announcements Feed
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A dynamic news section provides users with relevant company updates, press releases, and corporate announcements.
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Information is categorized by date, helping employees stay informed.
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People Directory
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A dedicated “People” section highlights team members and collaborators, enabling seamless networking and communication.
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Users can quickly locate colleagues and access project-specific contacts.
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Quick Access Resource Links
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A resources panel provides direct access to tools such as the calendar, mail, and financial applications.
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External links (e.g., company homepage, TED Talks, and news sources) are incorporated to support continuous learning and engagement.
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Impact
This SharePoint dashboard concept transforms the traditional experience by introducing aesthetic improvements, functional enhancements, and an intuitive layout. By prioritizing user needs and workflow efficiency, this concept demonstrates the true customization potential of SharePoint, making it a valuable tool for Aerie Consulting's client presentations.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Search Functionality
The redesigned SharePoint dashboard introduces a modern and intuitive search feature that enhances information retrieval and workflow efficiency.
Key Features:
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Seamless Overlay Search
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The search bar appears as a full-width overlay, ensuring high visibility without disrupting the user experience.
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This design choice maintains a clean and focused interface, allowing users to concentrate on their search queries.
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Impact on Productivity
By integrating an intelligent, overlay-based search system, this dashboard concept significantly enhances usability, speed, and efficiency, ensuring employees can quickly locate essential files, tasks, and communications.
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Internal Department Page Concept
This modernized SharePoint department page was designed to improve internal navigation, collaboration, and access to key resources within an organization. The layout focuses on clarity, usability, and efficiency, ensuring that employees can quickly find relevant information without unnecessary complexity.
Key Features:
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Department Overview & Branding
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A welcoming header section introduces the department with a clear title and brief description, creating a professional and engaging first impression.
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The blurred background image adds a polished look while keeping the focus on important content.
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Intuitive Navigation Panel
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A left-hand navigation menu provides quick access to various sub-sections, such as Payroll, Legal Compliance, and Reporting under the "Finance & Accounting" department.
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This structure makes it easy for users to jump between departments and key functions without extensive searching.
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Project Information & Team Contacts
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A dedicated project information section highlights key personnel, including the Project Manager and Lead Author for department-related initiatives.
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Direct links to team members encourage easy communication and collaboration.
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Project Schedule (Expandable Section)
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A structured space for project schedules allows employees to keep track of deadlines and milestones.
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This section can be expanded to integrate calendar views or task management tools for further productivity enhancements.
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Document Repository
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A well-organized document section displays frequently accessed files such as proposals, reports, and communication sheets.
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The use of file type icons (PDF, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) ensures quick recognition and improved usability.
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Files are listed in two locations for redundancy and ease of access.
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Impact & Benefits
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Reduces time spent searching for documents and contacts.
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Streamlines internal communication by making project information more accessible.
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Creates a modern, professional interface that aligns with corporate branding.
This design serves as a functional, visually appealing department homepage that enhances collaboration and boosts productivity across teams.
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Mobile Dashboard Concept
This mobile-optimized version of the SharePoint dashboard brings the same functionality and usability as the desktop experience but in a streamlined, touch-friendly layout designed for on-the-go access.
Key Features:
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Compact Task & Notification Overview
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A condensed dashboard layout displays key productivity metrics such as tasks, notifications, and discussions, ensuring users can quickly assess their workload.
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The large, bold numbers maintain clarity and readability on smaller screens.
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Calendar & Events Integration
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A prominent calendar widget allows users to check their schedule at a glance.
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Key meetings and events are highlighted to keep employees informed of their daily agenda.
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Simplified Project & Document Access
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A scrollable list of projects enables quick navigation and tracking of important tasks.
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A document repository with clear file-type icons (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) ensures quick identification and easy access to essential resources.
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Optimized Navigation & UI Elements
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The top navigation bar features quick-access icons for home, departments, search, and profile, ensuring smooth navigation with minimal taps.
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The "View All" buttons allow users to expand sections for more detailed information.
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Impact & Benefits
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Enhanced mobile accessibility ensures employees can stay productive from anywhere.
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Streamlined layout prioritizes the most relevant information, reducing clutter.
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Touch-friendly interactions make navigation intuitive for mobile users.
This responsive mobile design ensures that employees have a consistent, efficient, and user-friendly experience across all devices.
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Reflections & Learnings
Designing this modern SharePoint dashboard concept provided valuable insights into optimizing enterprise tools for usability, accessibility, and efficiency.
Key Learnings:
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Balancing Simplicity with Functionality
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Ensuring a clean, intuitive interface while integrating complex business needs was a key challenge. The final design streamlines workflows without overwhelming users.
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Mobile-First Considerations
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Adapting SharePoint’s traditionally desktop-heavy interface to a mobile-friendly version reinforced the importance of responsive design and touch-friendly interactions in enterprise applications.
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Enhancing Search & Navigation
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The improved search experience and structured department pages emphasized the need for quick access to key content, minimizing time spent searching for files and updates.
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Customization for Business Needs
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SharePoint’s flexibility allows for highly customized, branded experiences. This project highlighted how a well-designed UI can transform a standard system into an engaging, user-centric tool.
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Final Thoughts
This project reinforced that enterprise UX is about more than just usability—it’s about empowering employees with tools that simplify their workflow, enhance productivity, and create a more connected work environment.