CORTANA
Microsoft's personal productivity assistant
BACKGROUND
Cortana was Microsoft's digital personal assistant, initially launched in 2014 for Windows Phone and Windows 10. It used the Bing search engine to perform tasks such as setting reminders, answering questions, and managing schedules. Cortana was designed to help users stay on top of what matters and save time by connecting with people, finding information, and managing tasks through natural language commands.
ROLE
As a Conversation Designer working on Cortana, I played a key role in enhancing user interactions and engagement, including features like Play My Emails, which allowed users to listen to their emails hands-free, making their daily routines more efficient. Additionally, I crafted engaging chit chat responses to make interactions with Cortana more natural and enjoyable. My work focused on creating a seamless and intuitive user experience, ensuring that Cortana could effectively assist users in their everyday tasks while maintaining a friendly and approachable demeanor.
162
CHIT CHAT SCENARIOS WRITTEN
19%
GLOBAL USERS IN 2021
2023
YEAR THE APP WAS RETIRED
Defining the AI voice
Enhancing User Engagement with Chit Chat
I played a key role in shaping Cortana's personality to be that of a seasoned personal assistant—positive, confident, and competent, with a lighter side in chit chat. My work involved creating special scenarios that aligned with both evergreen events and tied to cultural moments, ensuring her responses were always positive, personal, and one-to-one. I focused on making her responses understanding and sympathetic, warmly acknowledging users' emotions while recognizing AI limitations. This included crafting responses that made users feel heard and valued, even when Cortana couldn't fully understand or respond to their needs. By late 2023, Cortana was retired and no longer supported on Microsoft apps.
