Overview
Google Calendar works great for solo scheduling. It breaks down when you need to coordinate groups. Remote work made that problem impossible to ignore. We added features to make finding mutual availability actually simple.
Background
The brief was open-ended: redesign a feature to help pandemic users. We talked about our own remote work struggles as students. Pattern emerged—coordinating with others online was painful. Remote workers became the focus. Google Calendar became the target.
Research Methods
Interviewed 8 remote workers—past and current. Asked about scheduling habits, time management, social interaction, and what tools they used to stay organized.
Describe your job (i.e. job description, work hours, etc.)
Could you walk me through a normal work day for you?
How do you feel about working remotely? Why?
What struggles have you faced (if any) while working remotely?
How do you usually spend your time outside of work?
Research Findings
Remote work made people lonely. 6 out of 8 felt disconnected from colleagues—less casual interaction, weaker team bonds, no sense of community.
Every single person used an online calendar. 5 out of 8 made it their primary organizational tool.
Problem Statement
How do we make Google Calendar help remote workers stay connected?
Personas
Meet Thomas. Went remote when the pandemic hit, like half our interviewees. Likes remote work but misses the social side of the office. Can't easily see when colleagues are free, can't casually grab time together.
Competitive Analysis
No existing calendar app solved group coordination well. They were built for solo use, with sharing as an afterthought.
Solution: keep Calendar's familiar interface, borrow from When2Meet to show group availability visually. Stop making people guess who's free.
UX Flows
Three features, one foundation: a Friends list. Users add colleagues and friends, then leverage that network to find meeting times.
UI Sketches
Wireframing exposed gaps in the logic. The flows we mapped earlier kept everything on track.
Friends list on the left, weekly calendar view in the center, your events already there.
Select friends, see overlapping availability light up across calendars.
An invitation gets sent to all the meeting members.
Their profile icon will indicate their confirmation status.
User Testing (Evaluative Research)
Tested 6 wireframes with 6 people. Explained each prototype's purpose, walked them through the flows, watched where they struggled. Asked 5 follow-up questions about each design.
User Testing Results
Six testers, all regular calendar users. A kindergarten supervisor managing meetings across schools and state offices valued Feature 1 most. College students found Features 1 and 2 solved their coordination problems.
Hifi Protoype
Testing confirmed what worked. Built high-fidelity prototypes based on the feedback.
Feature 1: All available times
Like When2Meet: shows everyone's availability across the week. Find overlapping free time without the guesswork.
Feature 2: Automatic Meeting Suggestions
Proactive assistant. Surfaces meeting suggestions with friends, offers time options automatically.
Feature 3: Manual Meeting Selection
Choose your time first, then see which friends are free. Minimal, straightforward.
Reflection
Multiple prototypes helped us find the best solution, not just the first one. Staying true to Calendar's design language meant users wouldn't feel lost. Constant team communication kept the project moving in the same direction.