Here are the details of the ambitious project "Office365 Account Provisioning" I participated in at GEODIS
I started my journey at GEODIS as both Level L2/L3 Analyst for Identity and Access Management (IAM) & HR, as well as a UX Designer between November 2018 & October 2022. As the principal UX Designer, I faced various challenges:
Despite the challenges, today I am both an expert in IAM & HR data management and a skilled UX Designer. The "Office365 Account Provisioning" project was designed during the COVID-19 pandemic, from March to September 2020, and I followed the development from October 2020 to January 2021. The first deployment was in France in March 2021, and the application has since been rolled out worldwide, with the US set for 2025-2026.
We identified issues with data quality in Office 365 directories. Admins were inputting incorrect data, there was little control over licensing costs, and GEODIS' ecosystem was not well-integrated. Our goal was to streamline the provisioning of Office 365 accounts, automate the process, and improve data accuracy by syncing data from the HR system.
Previous Tool: AD Admin Interface
The previous admin interface was complex and lacked validation controls, allowing administrators to easily input incorrect data. The lack of integration with the HR system meant manual synchronization and a high risk of errors. The following screenshot shows the interface that was used before the new application was implemented.
Before the solution, data synchronization between HR and IT teams was done manually, often via email, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of traceability. The process was inconsistent across regions. Our solution centralized these processes, offering a unified platform for account creation, license management, and data accuracy.
To design a tool that truly meets the users' needs, we conducted a series of research activities to better understand the daily challenges faced by those using or managing Office365 accounts. We had insightful discussions with administrators, HR managers, and team leads to identify their pain points and expectations.
To gather precise feedback, we used several research methods, ranging from individual interviews to collaborative workshops. Here’s an overview of the steps we took:
Through this research, several recurring issues emerged:
To better understand the different types of users, we created personas. These profiles allowed us to define the specific needs and goals of each user group and tailor the tool to their objectives.
This diagram illustrates the journey of the manager using the application to validate and manage internal account creation.
This diagram shows the Admin AD's role in managing user accounts and ensuring data accuracy in the system.
While the HR Manager doesn't interact directly with the application, their role is crucial at the start of the internal account creation process. They ensure that all the correct data is passed to the system, allowing for smooth account creation and validation later on in the process.
The solution developed centralizes the management of Office365 accounts, improving data accuracy, simplifying account creation, and providing seamless integration with the HR system.
This application streamlines account management, enhances data accuracy, and ensures compliance with internal policies, resulting in significant time savings and operational efficiency.
Explore the interactive prototype created with Figma, which simulates the full user journey of account management and validation.
Password : Ghpa2020Below are the mockups of the key screens in the application, demonstrating how the user interface supports the workflows of internal account creation and validation.
The application successfully streamlined account provisioning, improved data accuracy, and provided better control over licensing costs. We reduced data quality-related incidents by 97% and standardized processes across all regions. User satisfaction increased from 75% in 2022 to 90% in 2024. The tool is continuously improved, with new features being added iteratively to enhance usability.
The design was tested with a set of pre-defined scenarios across multiple user roles. The test environment was set up with real users from the HR, IT, and administrative departments. Workshops were conducted with 2-3 representatives from each user type to gather feedback.
The simplicity of actions, with minimal clicks required to complete complex tasks, was highly praised. The user journey was straightforward, with no more than 4 interactions per page, which helped prevent users from getting lost. The application was well-received for centralizing processes and eliminating data redundancy.
One challenge was the management of generic and shared accounts, where new email box names had to be manually validated by support. Additionally, there was a heavy reliance on HR data, but with the improvements to data quality, this has been mitigated over time.
Some improvements were made in displaying O365 options more clearly. Additionally, we added a more comprehensive application settings panel (confidential and not shared in the portfolio), along with some UI updates to enhance the user experience.
