Zune

UX Motion Design · Product Experience

Zune was Microsoft’s digital media platform and device ecosystem, developed during a pivotal moment when motion design was just beginning to emerge as a formal discipline inside the company. Because the role of UX motion designer was still new at the time, I had significant creative latitude to help define how motion could shape the product experience, not just decorate it.

I collaborated closely with design prototypers and interaction designers to concept and refine the Now Playing experience, exploring how album art, artist imagery, typography, and color could move together in a way that felt expressive, immersive, and distinctly Zune. The goal was to turn music playback into a visual moment, using motion to convey mood, identity, and rhythm rather than relying on static UI.

Beyond playback, I contributed motion design to core parts of the Zune software ecosystem, including Zune Social and MixView, helping establish transitions and behaviors that supported exploration and discovery. I also worked on defining touchscreen motion patterns for the Zune HD, where performance constraints required thoughtful, efficient animation that still felt fluid and intentional.

This work helped lay early groundwork for how motion could function as a first-class design element in Microsoft’s consumer products, balancing expressive visual storytelling with real-world technical constraints.