Team MSFT
May 06, 2025
So how did we align?
AAKANKSHA | JUSTIN | NIRJARI | ANANYA | SHREYA
In the US, Adults with Attention Deficit are 3 times more likely to experience serious workrelated impairments due to executive function issues.
Phase 1 - Framing Audience Focus NEURODIVERGENT POPULATION INDIVIDUALS WITH ADHD WITHIN ADHD - INATTENTIVE
THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION PRIORITIZATION
Phase 1 - Framing The Executive Function - Prioritization
Focus
Effort
Distraction
Processing
Planning & Prioritization
Memory Forgetfulness
It’s about knowing
what’s most important and how to order our lives to achieve it Identifying that first ste Breaking down steps of that task in an order that makes sense to you!
Emotion
Action
Overwhelmed
Self-regulation
Phase 2 - Research Methods
Expert Interviews
Online Surveys
Professors & Psychologists
4
37
Individuals with ADHD and Productivity‑seekers
Netnography User forums
User Interviews 10
Desk Research
Phase 2
- Research
Statistics and Our Survey
44% individuals
90% respondents
84% respondents
feel ‘Burned Out’ and ‘Emotionally Drained’
use task lists and reminders whereas 85%
use some kind of digital
at work due to Unrealistic Expectations.
people use calendars and scheduling tools.
productivity tool while working.
[Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
[Our Google Forms Survey, April 2025]
[Our Google Forms Survey, April 2025]
(2024). Burnout: SHRM research 2024. SHRM.]
Phase 2 - Research Interviews
Automated Task Breakdown
Less Time Lost to Planning
Simple, Stress-free Tool
“I'd really love something that could just...take a massive task and chop it into smaller bits.”
“Administrative tasks like reviewing, assigning tasks, looking for documents linked to a project, take up a big portion of my day.”
“Workplace anxiety isn’t just about workload - sometimes, it’s about receiving five back-toback messages and not knowing how to respond without overthinking."
Priyanka
Katlyn
Dr. Elliot
Nursing Student
Engineer
Professor & Organizational Psychologist
Phase 2 - Research Key Takeaways
Solving for neurodiverse users can create better tools for just about everyone.
AI works best when it simplifies complexity rather than just automating tasks.
AI’s strength lies in surfacing hidden or hard-to-find information for efficiency.
Phase 3 - Defining the challenge
Helps people with ADHD quickly break down and prioritize tasks by unifying personal and work calendars into a single daily hub.
TASK PRIORITIZATION
INTEGRATION
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AI-powered task analysis and adaptation that responds to user input and syncs seamlessly across platforms
Tool that helps breakdown and prioritize tasks based on your work / role / workstyle
Phase 4 - Ideation Our Design Principles
Adaptability Tool should adjust to user’s workload and the type of day they are having.
Phase 4 - Ideation Our Design Principles
Flexibility Tool should be accessed across multiple platforms & OS.
Phase 4 - Ideation Our Design Principles
Simplicity Tool should make interactions straightforward.
Phase 4 - Ideation Co-Design Session
Discussion Prompts What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear ‘Workplace’ What they like now vs. what they’d want in a new tool. Define Priorities of the combined Needs & Wants. How would they sketch & visualize their dream features in a new tool.
Phase 4 - Ideation Participant Sketches
Our Ideations - Crazy 8’s
Phase 4 - Ideation Co-Design Insights
There is a Want for
There is a Need for
Centralized workflow to avoid
Emotionally Responsive Task Prioritization.
switching between tools.
Adaptive and evolving workflow Calendar Integration for ease of
personalization.
having your day at one place. Support during decision-fatigue moments.
Gets your Emotional State
Understands Your Day
Prioritizes your Tasks
Integrates all your calendars
Productivity That Gets You
Voice-First Productivity. Anytime, Anywhere.
Talk it out, don’t type it in.
Seamless Sync.
Add, edit, or reorganize tasks using voice whether you’re walking, cooking, or commuting.
Every voice command updates instantly on your Align Dashboard across devices.
Natural Language Input.
Priority in your Pocket.
Rant, plan your day, or give instructions . Align understands and organizes it for you.
Let Align re-order your tasks by urgency, Want to tweak it? Talk to it.
Works with Google Home & Alexa. Your productivity assistant, always within earshot.
Let’s align!
How Align AI Supports Human-Centered Productivity
01
Starts With You
02
Balances Priorities & Flexibility
03
Adapts in Real Time
04
You’re Always in Control
Align learns your mood, focus windows, and working style.
Tasks are prioritized based on urgency and your current energy. Deadlines matter—but so does your well-being. If you’re low-energy, it might swap out heavy work for simpler wins
Mood dip at 2 PM? Align reorders your schedule. Feeling focused again? It helps you shift gears smoothly.
Align offers gentle suggestions—not rigid plans. You decide what to accept, skip, or reschedule
We’re committed to continuously evolving Align, introducing features designed to elevate collaboration and productivity at every scale.
Future Scope For Enterprise
Home
Where enterprise-grade security meets human-centered task management—Align reshapes how you plan your day.
Supporting executive functions in personal life - especially where task initiation, planning, and follow-through.
Enterprise-Grade Privacy Design
Routine Builder with Emotional Check-Ins
Customizable Priority Levels
Household Task Sharing & Delegation
Integrated Work-Life Calendar Sync
Voice-Activated “Brain Dump” Mode
Real-Time Priority Replanning
Mood-Aware Task Planning
Cross-Platform Access
Smart Calendar for Life Admin
Daily Dashboard View
Caregiver/Family View (with Consent)
Smart Task Breakdown & Reframing
“Finish It Later” Nudges
And also to those who helped us through this journey Mentors
Pinar
Christina
Cecily
Dr. Elliot
Interviewees
Thank You
Twisha
Katlyn
Priyanka
Sam
Co-design Participants
Mudita
Dave
Dhruvi
Vibha
Rohit
Mary
Voice Over narration
Anushka
And all our classmates!