Bringing automation to SharePoint admin center
Bringing automation to SharePoint admin center
Overview
Overview
Product:
Product:
SharePoint admin center
SharePoint admin center
Type:
Type:
Responsive web application
Responsive web application
Duration:
Duration:
June 2021- June 2022
June 2021- June 2022
About SharePoint admin center
SharePoint Admin Center is a portal that allows specialized users - SharePoint admins to monitor and manage SharePoint sites. The main goal of admins is to ensure that employees can utilize the platform's full benefit while maintaining data security.
About SharePoint admin center
SharePoint Admin Center is a portal that allows specialized users - SharePoint admins to monitor and manage SharePoint sites. The main goal of admins is to ensure that employees can utilize the platform's full benefit while maintaining data security.
Project goal
Inactive sites creates clutter, takes up storage and may be a data security risk. SharePoint admin center doesn't offer any mechanism to manage these inactive sites. As the number of SharePoint online sites grows, inactive sites can also be expected to grow. The goal of the project was to enable SharePoint admins to easily manage such sites.
Project goal
Inactive sites creates clutter, takes up storage and may be a data security risk. SharePoint admin center doesn't offer any mechanism to manage these inactive sites. As the number of SharePoint online sites grows, inactive sites can also be expected to grow. The goal of the project was to enable SharePoint admins to easily manage such sites.
TL;DR
SharePoint admins struggled with clearing out unused sites, which created clutter, occupied space, and posed data security risks. To address this, we automated the process by scanning all sites for inactivity and making site owners responsible for retiring their sites. This along with few other features which were sold as an add-on bundle, was estimated to improve the NPS of the product by 10 points (NPS was 55+ at the time of writing this case study) and also bring additional revenue to Microsoft.
TL;DR
SharePoint admins struggled with clearing out unused sites, which created clutter, occupied space, and posed data security risks. To address this, we automated the process by scanning all sites for inactivity and making site owners responsible for retiring their sites. This along with few other features which were sold as an add-on bundle, was estimated to improve the NPS of the product by 10 points (NPS was 55+ at the time of writing this case study) and also bring additional revenue to Microsoft.
Team & role
Team & role
My role
As a single design IC in the project, I was responsible for collaborating with PM and researcher to identify opportunities and problems, create designs and prototypes, conduct usability testing, conduct experience review and collaborate with engineers to build and ship the features.
My role
As a single design IC in the project, I was responsible for collaborating with PM and researcher to identify opportunities and problems, create designs and prototypes, conduct usability testing, conduct experience review and collaborate with engineers to build and ship the features.
Other team members
Product Manager, Researcher, Content writer, Accessibility experts, Engineers
Other team members
Product Manager, Researcher, Content writer, Accessibility experts, Engineers
About the product
About the product
SharePoint Online is part of Microsoft 365 bundle and is used by customers for the following purposes:
SharePoint Online is part of Microsoft 365 bundle and is used by customers for the following purposes:
Portals
Business Intelligence
Content Management
Business Workflows
Indexing & Searching
Enterprise Integration &
Collaboration
Portals
Business Intelligence
Content Management
Business Workflows
Indexing & Searching
Enterprise Integration &
Collaboration
SharePoint admin center comes included in Microsoft 365 package and allows specialized users (SharePoint admins) to
SharePoint admin center comes included in Microsoft 365 package and allows specialized users (SharePoint admins) to
Monitor performance
Site management
Access management
Sharing management
Troubleshooting
Monitor performance
Site management
Access management
Sharing management
Troubleshooting
Users
Users
SharePoint admin
SharePoint admin
Primary user
Primary user
A specialized role in Microsoft 365 environment, who is responsible for managing SharePoint Online via SharePoint admin centre. Their goal is to ensure that the platform is functioning properly and all its users can use it effectively.
A specialized role in Microsoft 365 environment, who is responsible for managing SharePoint Online via SharePoint admin centre. Their goal is to ensure that the platform is functioning properly and all its users can use it effectively.
Site owner
Site owner
Secondary user
Secondary user
Can be any user who has access to SharePoint and has created a SharePoint site. Site owners are usually more concerned about their day-to-day work than managing and governing the sites they own.
Site owners do not have access to the SharePoint admin centre and use the respective sites' settings to manage their sites. The responsibility of the site owner is to ensure that the correct person has access to the site's data.
Can be any user who has access to SharePoint and has created a SharePoint site. Site owners are usually more concerned about their day-to-day work than managing and governing the sites they own.
Site owners do not have access to the SharePoint admin centre and use the respective sites' settings to manage their sites. The responsibility of the site owner is to ensure that the correct person has access to the site's data.
Design approach
Design approach
The big picture
The big picture
Increase in number of SharePoint sites
There was a rapid upsurge in the count of SharePoint sites in client tenants from 2017 to 2020 due to the following reasons: 1. Microsoft Teams, launched in 2017, was based on SharePoint and employed it to store data shared across Team channels. Each time a Team was created within Microsoft Teams, a corresponding SharePoint site would be set up. 2. The 2020 COVID pandemic also fostered remote working among multiple businesses, requiring more sites to facilitate smoother collaboration.
Increase in number of SharePoint sites
There was a rapid upsurge in the count of SharePoint sites in client tenants from 2017 to 2020 due to the following reasons: 1. Microsoft Teams, launched in 2017, was based on SharePoint and employed it to store data shared across Team channels. Each time a Team was created within Microsoft Teams, a corresponding SharePoint site would be set up. 2. The 2020 COVID pandemic also fostered remote working among multiple businesses, requiring more sites to facilitate smoother collaboration.
We asked ourself
We asked ourself
How can we enable SP admins
to better manage millions of SPO sites?
How can we enable SP admins to better manage millions of SPO sites?
Uncovering the problems
Uncovering the problems
Product research
We researched to identify the problems that SharePoint admins would face once their number of sites reached a million. The most crucial issue found was managing inactive sites. Speaking with the users, it became clear that they wanted a solution that could manage inactive sites automatically without too much manual intervention.
Product research
We researched to identify the problems that SharePoint admins would face once their number of sites reached a million. The most crucial issue found was managing inactive sites. Speaking with the users, it became clear that they wanted a solution that could manage inactive sites automatically without too much manual intervention.
Problem statement
Problem statement
How may we enable SP admins to manage inactive sites automatically via policies?*
How may we enable SP admins to manage inactive sites automatically via policies?*
*Policies: A term used in SharePoint to define features that run automatically. They are a type of "if this then that " kind of control.
*Policies: A term used in SharePoint to define features that run automatically. They are a type of "if this then that " kind of control.
Design research: Deep dive in to existing processes
Design research: Deep dive in to existing processes
Customers managed inactive sites by:
1. Limiting unnecessary site creation or wrong site creation by using provisioning tools. In such systems, regular users are required to put in a request for the correct type of site through the provisioning tool. SP admin would then review the request for site creation, create the site, and make the requestor an owner. 2. Use third-party tools like ShareGate for inactive site management. 3. Create in-house tools that ask every site owner annually to certify that they want to keep their sites. Sites that are not certified are deleted or archived manually by the SP admins.
Customers managed inactive sites by:
1. Limiting unnecessary site creation or wrong site creation by using provisioning tools. In such systems, regular users are required to put in a request for the correct type of site through the provisioning tool. SP admin would then review the request for site creation, create the site, and make the requestor an owner. 2. Use third-party tools like ShareGate for inactive site management. 3. Create in-house tools that ask every site owner annually to certify that they want to keep their sites. Sites that are not certified are deleted or archived manually by the SP admins.
Ideation & Validation
Ideation & Validation
Based on understanding the user's mental model, existing processes, and technical capabilities, the following model was designed for policy to manage inactive sites.
Based on understanding the user's mental model, existing processes, and technical capabilities, the following model was designed for policy to manage inactive sites.
The model was validated with users, and they agreed that this would solve their problem of managing inactive sites.
The model was validated with users, and they agreed that this would solve their problem of managing inactive sites.
Exploration & usability testing
Exploration & usability testing
Based on the concept model, we created a prototype and tested it out with users for validation. Few screens that were created initially are shown below along with insights from Usability testing.
Based on the concept model, we created a prototype and tested it out with users for validation. Few screens that were created initially are shown below along with insights from Usability testing.
The challenge was to design a simple, scalable UI that could be used as a framework for designing various policies in future.
The challenge was to design a simple, scalable UI that could be used as a framework for designing various policies in future.
Design changes for reducing complexity
Design changes for reducing complexity
Important controls/inputs only
We challenged ourselves to keep the policy creation a three-step process to reduce cognitive load. In the initial scope, we thought of allowing the users to configure how many notifications would be sent, how often they would be sent, and the email being sent. Later, these were hardcoded in the system to simplify, as we realised they were not crucial for the feature to work. We reduced the number of filters and selected only the most essential ones. UI Explorations were done to identify all possible ways to filter a set of sites. The challenge was to keep it simple and scalable so that if more controls were required in future, they could be easily incorporated.
Important controls/inputs only
We challenged ourselves to keep the policy creation a three-step process to reduce cognitive load. In the initial scope, we thought of allowing the users to configure how many notifications would be sent, how often they would be sent, and the email being sent. Later, these were hardcoded in the system to simplify, as we realised they were not crucial for the feature to work. We reduced the number of filters and selected only the most essential ones. UI Explorations were done to identify all possible ways to filter a set of sites. The challenge was to keep it simple and scalable so that if more controls were required in future, they could be easily incorporated.
Reduce cognitive and visual load
We tried to achieve an 80% whitespace in the UI and refine the strings to remove ambiguity. Performance bar charts were simplified and changed to just numbers.
Reduce cognitive and visual load
We tried to achieve an 80% whitespace in the UI and refine the strings to remove ambiguity. Performance bar charts were simplified and changed to just numbers.
Power of default
During our user research, we realised that the most relevant period of inactivity was three months; we made this value default so that, in most cases, the user wouldn't even have to change the input. In future, the feature will also set default policy names in the last step of policy creation.
Power of default
During our user research, we realised that the most relevant period of inactivity was three months; we made this value default so that, in most cases, the user wouldn't even have to change the input. In future, the feature will also set default policy names in the last step of policy creation.
Allow simulation
We also included a feature that allows users to simulate a policy before implementing it. This was a first-of-its-kind feature across all admin centres, enabling users to ensure the policy performed as needed.
Allow simulation
We also included a feature that allows users to simulate a policy before implementing it. This was a first-of-its-kind feature across all admin centres, enabling users to ensure the policy performed as needed.
Finalised UI
Finalised UI
A high-fidelity prototype was created and tested for usability and experience with SP admins of Microsoft and other clients. Their feedback was incorporated, and a final design review was conducted with all stakeholders, after which the designs were handed over to engineering for development.
A high-fidelity prototype was created and tested for usability and experience with SP admins of Microsoft and other clients. Their feedback was incorporated, and a final design review was conducted with all stakeholders, after which the designs were handed over to engineering for development.
Landing page
Shows the list of policies created. User can create upto 5 polices at a time. Clicking on a table item shown the policy details in a panel.
Landing page
Shows the list of policies created. User can create upto 5 polices at a time. Clicking on a table item shown the policy details in a panel.
Creating a new policy
The first step of creating a new policy informs the user what to expect from the policy.
Creating a new policy
The first step of creating a new policy informs the user what to expect from the policy.
Defining policy's scope
User can select a set of sites which needs to be monitored for inactivity. If any inactive sites are idenfied when the policy runs, then the site owners are informed that their site is inactive and are asked to delete the site if not needed.
Defining policy's scope
User can select a set of sites which needs to be monitored for inactivity. If any inactive sites are idenfied when the policy runs, then the site owners are informed that their site is inactive and are asked to delete the site if not needed.
Final step
User can set a friendly name for their policy and also decide if they would like to try out the policy first before activating it.
Final step
User can set a friendly name for their policy and also decide if they would like to try out the policy first before activating it.
New policy created!
Once the new policy is created it starts to identify inactive sites within the defined set of sites. This process takes place automatically every month.
New policy created!
Once the new policy is created it starts to identify inactive sites within the defined set of sites. This process takes place automatically every month.
Policy Details
Shows information about the policy and gives user a summary report in the MLP (minimum lovable product) design. The future version will contain full fledged reports on inactive sites in he UI itself.
Policy Details
Shows information about the policy and gives user a summary report in the MLP (minimum lovable product) design. The future version will contain full fledged reports on inactive sites in he UI itself.
Notifications to site owners
If a site is found to be inactive, then the owner of that sites is notified and requested to take an action - either confirm that they need the site or delete the site.
Notifications to site owners
If a site is found to be inactive, then the owner of that sites is notified and requested to take an action - either confirm that they need the site or delete the site.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The feature is now released and available as an add-on
1. This functionality, along with several others on the horizon, is projected to boost the NPS from 55 to 65. 2. Anticipation is high for its adoption among customers, and it is predicted to generate revenue of several million USD. (Ask me about it.) 3. This functionality establishes a standardized framework for creating any 'automated policies' within the application. In future, another policy to manage orphan sites will be made based on this (design finalized, implementation in progress) 4. Instead of relying on third-party apps or building their in-house apps, customers now had the option to use "Site lifecycle management policies" and save operating costs. 5. Other success metrics were the number of seats sold and the percentage of inactive sites deleted in tenants with more than 50,000 sites. At the time of writing these metrics were yet to be analysed.
The feature is now released and available as an add-on
1. This functionality, along with several others on the horizon, is projected to boost the NPS from 55 to 65. 2. Anticipation is high for its adoption among customers, and it is predicted to generate revenue of several million USD. (Ask me about it.) 3. This functionality establishes a standardized framework for creating any 'automated policies' within the application. In future, another policy to manage orphan sites will be made based on this (design finalized, implementation in progress) 4. Instead of relying on third-party apps or building their in-house apps, customers now had the option to use "Site lifecycle management policies" and save operating costs. 5. Other success metrics were the number of seats sold and the percentage of inactive sites deleted in tenants with more than 50,000 sites. At the time of writing these metrics were yet to be analysed.