Modernize How Outlook Organize Emails
Creating a scalable way to navigate and organize messages across Outlook
Lead UX Designer · 3.5 years · Outlook for Windows
Patterns extended into Web · Mac · Mobile
Rules · Conditional Formatting · Quick Steps · Folders · Copilot
Create/manage email sorting rulesManage & Share FoldersCreate/manage formatting rulesSuggest rules by CopilotDesign tension
Power users on classic Outlook had developed sophisticated workflows around:
rules
folders
conditional formatting
manual organization patterns
But overarching goal of the new Outlook was to adapt evolved modern interaction conventions and embrace a broader user population.
Modernizing the user experience doesn't mean removing complexity. It means making complexity appear only when it earns its place.
Classic OutlookDeep capabilities
Expert mental models
High learning investment
New OutlookModern interaction
Simpler product model
Higher expectation to discoverability
Since consuming emails is one of the core UX in Outlook and where the power users from classic Outlook actively took advantage of, I and product manager investigated the feedbacks on holistic sorting system.
💬
Find“I can’t find my rules”
Trust“Is my rule really working?”
Configure“Conditions are limited when setting up rules”
Control“Import/export rules and emails ”
AutomationRepetitive actions
Rules
Quick steps
To Organize EmailsSurfaceWhat visually matters
Conditional formatting
Categories
↓
User can pick and choose their own sorting systemsStructureWhere the emails belong
Folder hierarchy
Sharing folders
Making powerful automation easier to reason about
Progressive disclosure — condition → action → confirmation.
Revealing complexity only when users need it.
Explicit hierarchy— if an email is applied by two rules, user can use the most dictating rule to lowest power rule by organizing them in the list. Also, they can check the box of “Stop processing more rules” to prioritize the rule when they edit/create a rule.
Conditional Formatting
RULE
If [condition] → perform [action]
CONDITIONAL FORMATTING
If [condition] → render message as [appearance]
Recognizing the common condition → outcome model helped us avoid designing Conditional Formatting as another isolated settings experience.
Folders: organization extends beyond automation
Folder UX extended the system beyond sorting. It defined where information lived, how users built hierarchy, and how that structure could be shared with others.
Shared mailbox
Featured on Outlook Blog (link)
Get access to a folder i got shared (link)
Simplified folder sharing
Folder List Improvement
Personalization and settings of accounts (link)
Embracing Copilot in Outlook
Copilot changed the interaction, but not the underlying system. Conditions, actions, scope, confirmation, and control still had to be designed.
Designing beyond happy path
Reusable Framework
PRODUCT PROBLEM
Rules
↓
REPEATED PATTERN
Condition → Action
Create → Apply → Manage
↓
FRAMEWORK
Reusable interaction model
↓
DESIGN SYSTEM
Shared components / patterns
↓
OTHER OUTLOOK EXPERIENCES
Web • Mobile • Mac
Conditional Formatting
Rules
Copilot supported sort
Jump to certain email