At Microsoft I worked on one of the most used pieces of software in the world: Excel.

I was responsible for designing, managing, and planning the future for Excel's web offering in the productivity space. As a Product Manager during the inaugural years of Office 365, I set the vision for what would become a core part of the Microsoft Office experience.

Designing software for use by nearly a billion people (in 2011) means getting it right the first time:

• Telemetry that tracks usage through years and decades. When a feature that affects 1% of users translates to millions of people, every possible outcome is considered.
• Qualitative user research by talking with real customers. No focus groups! Seeing people use the product keeps the design (and the designer) grounded.
• Designing for a world class experience that is used by companies, governments, schools, etc. means the product must be bulletproof with regards to security, testability, internationalization, accessibility, and long term support.

I'm happy to talk more in depth about the product process at Microsoft in person or over the phone as they cannot adequately be captured here.