Productivity Shells— a WCOS UX concept
Productivity-first experiences infused with AI & powered by the cloud.
WCOS + C-Shell
For months, rumors about Windows Core OS are floating around the web. A new modular OS that will power new devices and form factors that will enable new experiences. Surface Hub 2 and HoloLens 2 already run a version of this new OS and we’ll hopefully see more examples in the coming weeks and months.
According to leaks and rumors the user interface will be modular as well, code-named C-Shell. The idea is that the core OS and UI are de-coupled, so it can be easily adapted and configured based on device type, context or user. For example, the UI could adapt itself and change whenever you connect an Xbox controller and be optimized for that gaming experience. According to rumors, these ‘shells’ can be even distributed via the Microsoft Store so they can be easily updated without having full-blown OS updates (although those updates should be pretty fast and seamless as well, compared to Windows 10).
The thought of having a modular user experience that can be easily adapted and customized is super interesting to me. Hence this article: a concept what this could enable for future devices and experiences for the enterprise.
Introducing: Productivity Shells
What if these shells can not only be adapted by Microsoft — but what if this will be opened up to Microsoft’s core customer base: the enterprise? What if companies can tailor and optimize the computing experience for their employees to their own wishes and needs?
Within Office 365 this is already possible: tenants can be customized and company branding can be added (e.g. login screens or the O365 navigation bar).
Windows however is quite static: it can do everything, but doesn’t excel at anything. For most first-line workers, 90% of the features that Windows support are never used— what if we can tailor Windows to their main tasks while keeping that familiar Fluent look and feel and by making sure the core experience doesn’t suffer from it? This is where Productivity Shells come in!
Productivity Shells
- can be customized while keeping a distinctive Fluent Design look-and-feel.
- are infused with AI. Cortana can be of help whenever it’s needed. She can deliver relevant insights and take over tasks to make users more productive.
- are powered by O365. Tight integration of key O365 services (like Teams) will make users more efficient without switching apps. Adaptive cards and Fluid Framework are key technologies to enable this.
To make things tangible, I have created a couple of UX concepts that explain how Productivity Shells can empower first-line workers to achieve more.
Concept 1 — Contoso Enterprise
A WCOS experience for the front office.
The Contoso Enterprise — Front-Office experience is tailored to receptionists and other front-office workers. Their main tasks include to welcome, register and announce visitors so they can be picked up.
The front-office Shell includes 2 main areas in the start menu: a company view showing events happening and visitors that are planned, and a personal area that includes sticky notes and most used apps.
Cortana is used to hand off tasks such as letting the host know that the visitor arrived.
Concept 2 — Contoso Dining
A WCOS experience for Retail and Dining industry
The dining experience is designed for restaurant waiters — they often use dedicated POS devices to take in orders and to handle reservations and payments. In this Shell, there is no Desktop and the default interface shows the tables and quick shortcuts for taking an order or to directly call a manager via Teams.
Powered by Azure, Cortana shows relevant insights to make the waiters job easier.
Concept 3 — Contoso Air Lines
A WCOS experience for airline industry.
The Contoso Air Lines Shell does not include a desktop and is tailored around the cabin crew of flights: it uses the Microsoft Graph to pull in relevant information of the colleagues and Cortana can helps with small tasks such as helping out passengers.
Conclusion
In this article, I shared my vision on what these specific C-shells could bring to the table for enterprises. Easy to create, distribute and maintain Productivity Shells could bring an optimized experience to first-line workers and beyond. My vision is probably way off towards reality — but let’s see what WCOS will bring to the table!
Exciting times ahead for the Windows ecosystem!
