Microsoft Dogfooding Events

Background

Microsoft Dogfooding Events of Windows 8 and Office 2013 had been held since August 2012 in Microsoft Taiwan. By conducting Dogfooding Events, Microsoft was able to test these products internally and gather valuable feedback from its own employees, which could then be used to improve the final versions of the software.

These events provided employees with early access to the latest versions of Windows and Office, allowing them to use the software in real-world scenarios and identify any issues or bugs that needed to be fixed. Through this process of testing and feedback, Microsoft was able to improve the functionality, stability, and usability of the final products.

In addition to improving the quality of the software, Dogfooding Events also had another important benefit: they helped to build employee engagement and morale. By giving employees the opportunity to use cutting-edge technology before anyone else, Microsoft showed that it valued their input and contributions. This helped to foster a sense of ownership and pride among employees, who were able to see firsthand how their feedback and suggestions were incorporated into the final product.

Products

  • Windows 8, succeeding Windows 7, was introduced major changes to the platform and user interface including a new start screen, Microsoft app ecosystem, and touch-friendly design.
  • Office 2013, the successor to Microsoft Office 2010, supports online services and multi-touch interfaces.


My Role

My role involved working in the IT department to:

  • Assisted engineers and managers in learning and testing new products to be launched.
  • Translated IT documents from English to Mandarin.
  • Conducted a series of internal workshops and campaigns to encourage employees to update to the latest OS system/programs and utilize the new products to enhance their work efficiency.
  • Collected feedback via surveys after each event to improve user satisfaction.
  • Designed monthly newsletters to share quick start guides for various Microsoft product lines and IT-related events.
  • Troubleshot and report IT issues to higher levels and other Greater China branches.
  • Organized cross-functional department meetings and update team statuses


Results

  • Successfully rolled out the Windows 8 upgrade to over 500 computer units during the dogfooding events, which ensured that our employees were able to experience the latest version of Microsoft's operating system and provide valuable feedback.
  • Hosted 30+ workshops with 300+ attendees in just six months, achieving an average customer satisfaction rating of 8.8 out of 10. This helped to increase awareness of our IT services and encourage employees to adopt new technologies.
  • Achieved an impressive 93% full-time employee installment rate for Windows 8, surpassing our counterparts in other sub-regions and achieving the highest rate in the Greater China Region. This was a testament to the effectiveness of our internal campaigns and workshops, and demonstrated the value of our efforts in promoting the adoption of new technologies.
  • Learned Microsoft Access in order to create and maintain databases for internal asset management and system version control for each device, which helped to streamline our internal processes.