Section 2:

Azure-Specific UX/UI Insights

Azure UI/UX Strengths and Weaknesses Overview

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Strengths

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1. Comprehensive Service Introduction: Provides a broad overview of potential applications

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• Functionality-first-approach: Convenient for an advanced Azure user who needs to access tool and services quickly and efficiently.

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• Windows-friendly UI - Consistently incorporates the signature Microsoft UI and products into the application deployment page.

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Weaknesses

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1. Lack of Clear Guidance: Absence of simple, accessible explanations within the launching process and dashboard.

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• Cluttered Navigation: Quickstart guides and tutorials are not straightforward, hindering intuitive use for new users.

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• Overwhelming Service Presentation: Extensive list of services overwhelms users.

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Launching Azure

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Navigating Azure

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Using Azure

Problem: Azure currently prompts users with extensive questions and trainings with videos and quizzes to get started, which can be overwhelming for new users.

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Solution: Provide a streamlined, interactive checklist personalized to the user's background and intended use, with the option to access more in-depth resources as needed.

Problem: Most new users do not tend to sit through the hour-long tutorials.

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Solution: Provide a shortened version of an introduction to Azure that plays automatically from a high level for new users who want to explore Azure a bit more before sitting through an extensive tutorial.

Problem: Small texts that are difficult to read

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Solution: Enlarge text sizes and eliminate overly technical words for easy accessibility

Problem: Too much wasted space, which also makes new users feel lost

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Solution: Replace with the personalized quickstart center

Problem: Counter-intuitive tool placement

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Solution: Move to top; Add background color for distinguishability

Problem: The necessary information and answers to questions during the setup process are in locations that are difficult for users to find.

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Solution: Implement a dynamic FAQ or help panel that is easily accessible during the setup process, providing instant answers to user questions without navigating away from the setup screen.

Problem: Too many modules without categorization makes learning Azure feel overwhelming

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Solution: Categorize modules into sub-sections such as “AI Fundamentals” or “Programming Basics” to make learning Azure feel less intimidating

Problem: Requires a few clickings to find the education hub

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Solution: When students register with an “edu” account, automatically puts the education hub in their homepage or quick start center

Problem: Over 20 Sections with average 18 Modules

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Solution: Create more buckets and drop-down menus such as “Most Popular” or “Most Beginner Friendly” to direct users to certain services that fit their needs

Problem: Overwhelming number of options; New users-unfriendly

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Solution: Create short pop-up blurbs of summary/introduction when a user hovers over each service with their cursor

Problem: Setting up Azure VMs involves numerous configuration tabs, which might feel daunting for new users.

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Solution: Create an “overview” tab that briefly introduces what a VM is, as well as briefly going over what each step is for to allow new users to understand from a high level of what they are creating.

Problem: The large amount of customization might seem daunting to new users, and the pop-up explanations for some of these settings are displayed in dense, small text while others lack explanations.

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Solution: Ensure each pop-up blurb is compact and contains hyperlinks to resources where new users can learn more about the purpose of each customization.

Problem: The help and quick start guides are hyperlinked and hard to find. The overwhelming blank space can intimidate new users.

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Solution: Fill blank space with large embeddings of the Windows and Linux VM quick start guides.

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Launching

Azure

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Launching Azure

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• Breakdown educational modules into categories to make learning Azure less intimidating
• Add overviews of the entire creation process for each service (i.e. creating a VM) to allow new users gain a high level understanding before delving into customization
• Make the help and quick start guides easily accessible to facilitate learning

Section 4:

Figma Mockups

Retaining The 1.5 Million New Users

GRAB attention! Gamified images, interactive first page, show potential of Azure for Students

INFORM how Azure operates! Intuitive, gamified tutorials, easy to access, visually simple

INTEGRATE new user with a customized, simple, easy to navigate homepage

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ADVICE FROM

EX-AZURE USERS

REQUESTED FEATURES: TECHNICAL STUDENTS

FAST DEPLOY

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Had a GitHub CI/CD pipeline, waited 45+ minutes for code to deploy and test on

LIVE SUPPORT

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Azure had lackluster support for small businesses – no free credits and poor customer service

NO CLUTTER

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The user get lost in the setup and offerings of Azure’s dashboard

NAVIGABLE SITE

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Connection between starting/stopping resources and billing details are unclear

GAMING

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APIs for game developers and automated game testing environments

LEARNING HUB

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Gamified learning experiences and quick search to simplify Azure onboarding

RESUME EDITOR

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Personalized AI Azure service to tailor resume to specific job apps

PROJECT TAB

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Specialized tools for fields like NLP and medical analysis to showcase versatility.