Ambient Coworking

Invented a lightweight coworking experience using avatars on Meta Portal, enabling casual, privacy-friendly calls without video. The concept led to a patent, cross-org adoption, and helped address Zoom fatigue in remote teams through ambient presence.

Design Strategy & VisionInnovationPrototyping2022

Overview

In 2022, I led a foundational piece of discovery work to better understand what users actually want from a modern workday device on their desk. Partnering with our user research team, we uncovered the top 11 goals users have during their workday, and mapped those goals against Portal's capabilities.

As a follow-up, I invented a new calling modality using Meta's avatars technology to deliver a more engaging and less intrusive coworking experience. Instead of relying on live video—which often feels invasive—users could be represented by expressive avatars in a shared virtual workspace.

The Idea

The concept enables coworkers to ambiently see when someone is at their desk via a subtle avatar representation powered by Portal's smart camera sensors. With a single tap, you can initiate a casual avatar-based call—no awkward "Are you free?" messages or need to turn your camera on.

Why it Matters

Positioned between live video and audio calls, this concept strikes a balance between presence and privacy. It reduces friction in casual communication while preserving personal boundaries—especially relevant in the new normal of distributed work.

How it Works

Presence detection via Portal's smart camera shows which coworkers are currently available.
Tap to talk: A single tap sends a non-intrusive chime.
Live avatar call: The call begins with your avatar mirroring your facial expressions—no video needed.

Above: Prototype animation implemented on to Portal's Ambient Homescreen

Impact of Work

Patent Filed (2022) Meta successfully filed a defensive patent on the concept, helping create product and IP differentiation.
Cross-org Adoption: This calling paradigm began influencing other teams beyond Portal, including WWW and mobile surfaces.
Strategic Differentiation: The work created new business value by enabling more lightweight, high-frequency interactions—driving engagement and device usage.
Solving for Future of Work: In an increasingly remote world, we need tools that reduce Zoom fatigue. This was one of my contributions toward making that future more human.