In a large enterprise, fostering a culture of appreciation and connection is critical. The 'Shoutouts' application was conceived as a centralized, intuitive platform for employees to recognize and celebrate each other's contributions. Born from a need identified by Scrum Masters, it evolved into a powerful internal social tool, driving engagement and reinforcing company values. This project aimed to create a digital space where appreciation was visible, accessible, and integrated into the daily workflow
As the Product Manager, I championed the 'Shoutouts' initiative from conception to launch, ensuring it met the needs of our diverse employee base and aligned with strategic organizational goals. My approach involved:
Strategic Alignment: Collaborated with key stakeholders across the Agile Transformation Office, Digital Experience, Human Resources, and Marketing to define project objectives and secure enterprise-wide buy-in.
Vision & Roadmap Development: Defined the product vision, created a comprehensive roadmap, and managed the product backlog to ensure timely delivery.
User-Centered Design: Partnered with the UX team to develop wireframes and prototypes, prioritizing user experience and ensuring intuitive navigation. Gained enterprise wide alignment on design.
Agile Development & Implementation: Worked closely with engineering teams to develop, test, and launch the application, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems.
Launch & Adoption Strategy: Collaborated with Marketing to create a comprehensive launch and adoption strategy, driving awareness and engagement.
Performance Measurement & Reporting: Defined and tracked key success metrics, rolling them up to KPIs to demonstrate the project's impact. Personally demoed the app at a company all hands meeting, and received special recognition from C-suite leadership.
Personalized Home Screen: Implemented a personalized home screen, displaying the user's name and photo for a welcoming and familiar experience.
Familiar 3-Column Layout: Utilized a 3-column layout, mirroring popular social media interfaces, to enhance usability and familiarity. Left sidebar for personal details and menu, central column for recognition feed, right sidebar for top contacts.
Intelligent Contact Integration: Automated top contact syncing based on email communication patterns, facilitating easy recognition of frequent collaborators.
Seamless Microsoft 365 Integration: Integrated with Microsoft 365 accounts, ensuring widespread accessibility and usability across the enterprise.
Engaging Content Features: Enabled the use of GIFs and photos, as well as liking and commenting, to encourage active engagement with recognitions.
Value-Driven Recognition Categories: Defined recognition categories aligned with company values and vision, reinforcing organizational culture.
Email Notifications: Implemented email notifications for sent and received shoutouts, ensuring visibility for employees and their people leaders.
Dramatic Increase in Employee Recognition: Achieved a 30x (3000%) increase in employee recognitions, demonstrating widespread adoption and engagement.
Improved Employee Morale & Satisfaction: Increased employee morale and satisfaction ratings on internal surveys by 8%, reflecting a positive impact on company culture.