Optimize UX

Optimize the UX for your add-in

As you design your Office solution, consider the overall user experience (UX) and how you will deliver a solution that’s seamless and user friendly. To create a great add-in, provide an engaging first-run experience for your users and design a first-class UI. This section focuses on best practices for Office and SharePoint Add-ins.

Office Add-ins

Create add-ins that help your users complete their tasks quickly and efficiently by:

Envisioning and planning your experience.
Developing engaging interactions.
Integrating seamlessly into Office.

Outstanding Office Add-ins will:

Apply UX design principles.
Provide a net value that exceeds that of alternative solutions.
Enhance and complement the features that Office provides.
Deliver continuous, data-driven improvements to the Office experience.

Learn more about how to develop Office Add-ins

SharePoint Add-ins

SharePoint Add-ins must be easy to use while allowing users to quickly realize the benefits:

Your add-in should be fully self-contained and can:

Provide additional web parts that can be used on home pages.
Extend lists and libraries and provide extension points.

Outstanding SharePoint Add-ins will:

Blend into the natural user experience of SharePoint.
Have a consistent look and feel, including colors, styles, and UI.
Provide a clear navigation link to return the user to the SharePoint site that launched the add-in.

Learn more about how to develop SharePoint Add-ins

Apply UX Design Principles

You only have a short time period and limited space to portray the value of your solution. Consider the following as you develop your UX:

Does your user understand the value of the solution?
What steps do customers need to take to use your solution?
How do users interact with your solution?

When designing your Office add-in, apply the following principles to your UX design:

Ensure that the look, feel, and functionality of your add-in complements Office.
Maintain simplicity and a seamless user experience.
Optimize your add-in for touch.
Develop a similar look and feel across different platforms.
Use add-in commands to:
- Provide relevant UI entry points for your add-in.
- Identify granular actions for common tasks.
- Minimize the number of steps to complete actions.
Apply Microsoft icon design guidance.

For more information:

See the best practices for developing Office Add-ins.
Find guidance for creating UX components for your SharePoint Add-ins.
Use Office UI Fabric to help ensure that the look and feel and functionality of your add-in complements the Office experience
Use the UX design pattern templates for Office Add-ins to apply common interaction patterns.

Optimize UX: Go-to-Market Guide