Bronze Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design · 2024
Desky Office Desk Booking Software
by Zhiqi Lin
- A' Design Award 2024 Bronze Winner in Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: Zhiqi Lin
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 38,416
- Verification code 1C79B6945E · Verify this award
About Desky Office Desk Booking Software
Desky is a workspace management tool designed to enhance the hybrid work model, offering a blend of logistical and social solutions. It provides a strategic weekly overview, allowing employees to plan office visits for optimal collaboration. The desk booking system ensures a personalized workspace, minimizing stress. An interactive map showcases office events, cultivating a vibrant culture. Additionally, schedule tracking promotes team dynamics. This innovative approach addresses the multifaceted challenges of hybrid work, making Desky pivotal for a productive and enjoyable work environment.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Desky combines desk booking with a weekly activity overview for a seamless remote-to-office work transition. Offering visibility into colleagues' schedules and events, simplifies choosing the best days for office attendance. This tool enhances collaboration and productivity by integrating the benefits of in-person interactions with remote work's flexibility, perfectly suiting the modern, flexible workplace's needs and ensuring a cohesive, efficient environment in the hybrid era.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The platform is accessible via web and mobile devices, optimized for screens ranging from 360 x 640 pixels (mobile) to 1920 x 1080 pixels (desktop), ensuring a responsive, user-friendly experience across devices. It supports major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) for broad accessibility
- Tags
- Hybrid Work Solution, Desk Booking System, Workplace Collaboration, User-Centered Design, Productivity Tool, User Experience Design, UI Design, UX Design, Figma, Web Design
- Production Technology
- Desky's design was primarily realized through Figma, leveraging its collaborative design capabilities to create a user-centric interface. Figma facilitated iterative design processes, allowing for real-time feedback and adjustments.
- Design Challenge
- The primary challenge was distinguishing Desky from existing desk booking solutions. Overcoming this required innovative features like colleague tracking and interactive maps. Internal factors included aligning with modern work trends, while external factors involved balancing technological capabilities and user needs. Differentiating through user-centric design and unique features helped Desky stand out in a crowded market.
- Project Duration
- The project started in August 2023 in Seattle, United States and finished in September 2023.
- Operation Flow
- Upon logging in, users view a dashboard displaying weekly office activities and desk availability.
They can swiftly book a desk for a specific day or set up recurring bookings for regular office visits. Users can also see when their favorite colleagues are coming in by 'starring' them for easy tracking. There's also an interactive map to explore, showing where they can find a spot to sit or join in on office events. - Research
- The research comprised market analysis, user interviews, and competitor analysis, uncovering a rising demand for hybrid work solutions and employee challenges in office planning. Iterative usability testing refined Desky's design, ensuring it effectively addresses workplace needs, fosters productivity, and promotes flexible work arrangements, all while prioritizing user-centric solutions.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the post-pandemic shift to hybrid work, I noticed the dilemma workers faced in choosing between the office and home. Recognizing the value of in-office collaboration and the convenience of working from home, I developed Desky. This tool is designed to help employees balance the benefits of in-office interaction with the flexibility of remote work, enabling them to make informed decisions on where to work each day, thus enhancing productivity and workplace satisfaction.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Laptop Mock-up Organization Ls.Graphic, Mac Studio and Macbook Pro 16, 2023
Colors of Desky Office Desk Booking Software
Design Interview about Desky Office Desk Booking Software
The main principle behind Desky is to enhance the hybrid work experience by making it easier for employees to plan their office visits. The inspiration came from observing the challenges people faced in transitioning back to the office post-pandemic, particularly the lack of motivation and the struggle with commuting. Desky aims to bridge this gap by providing a seamless and engaging way to manage office presence.
The main focus in designing Desky was to create a user-friendly platform that simplifies the hybrid work model. I wanted to achieve a design that helps employees make informed decisions about their office visits, promotes collaboration, and fosters a connected office culture.
Future plans for Desky include incorporating user feedback to further refine its features, exploring integrations with other workplace tools, and potentially partnering with organizations to implement Desky on a larger scale. The goal is to continuously improve the user experience and expand its reach.
Designing Desky took approximately six months, from initial concept to final prototype. This period included extensive research, user testing, and multiple iterations to ensure the design met user needs effectively.
I decided to pursue Desky out of personal inspiration, driven by the need to address the challenges of hybrid work post-pandemic. The idea was to create a tool that would make the return to office more manageable and enjoyable for employees.
Currently, I am exploring opportunities to partner with companies to implement Desky. I am open to selling or leasing the production rights to organizations that align with the vision of improving the hybrid work experience.
The realization that many people were struggling with the hybrid work model, particularly the transition back to the office, motivated me to design Desky. I wanted to create a solution that could help ease this transition and improve overall workplace satisfaction.
Yes, various workplace management tools and collaboration platforms influenced the design of Desky. Additionally, I sought feedback from other designers and workplace professionals to ensure the design addressed real-world needs effectively.
The target customers for Desky are organizations implementing a hybrid work model, as well as employees who need an efficient way to plan their office visits and enhance their in-office collaboration.
Desky stands out due to its comprehensive and user-centric approach to managing the hybrid work experience. Unlike traditional workplace management tools, Desky integrates social and collaborative elements, such as colleague schedule tracking and interactive office maps with event highlights. These features not only enhance productivity but also foster a more connected and engaged office environment. Additionally, Desky is designed to make planning the work week enjoyable and engaging. By incorporating playful elements and intuitive interfaces, it turns the often mundane task of scheduling into a fun and seamless experience, helping employees look forward to their office visits and collaboration opportunities.
The name "Desky" reflects the core functionality of the platform—managing desk bookings and office schedules. It’s simple, memorable, and directly conveys the purpose of the tool.
For Desky, I primarily used Figma for designing the interface and creating interactive prototypes.
The most unique aspect of Desky is its focus on enhancing the hybrid work experience by integrating social and collaborative elements. Features like colleague schedule tracking and interactive office maps with event highlights set it apart from traditional workplace management tools.
I worked on Desky entirely solo, which allowed me to have complete creative control and ensure that every aspect of the design aligned with my vision. However, I did reach out to other designers for feedback. Their insights were invaluable in refining the design and ensuring it met high standards of usability and aesthetics.
Technology plays a central role in Desky, enabling seamless integration with existing workplace tools and providing a smooth user experience. Advanced features like real-time updates, interactive maps, and automated notifications rely heavily on technological infrastructure.
Yes, Desky is heavily influenced by data and user research. I conducted surveys, interviews, and usability tests to gather insights into the needs and preferences of employees and employers in a hybrid work setting. This research informed the design features and functionality.
One of the main challenges I faced was figuring out how to present information intuitively on the screen without overwhelming the user. Balancing the need to provide comprehensive functionality with the goal of maintaining a clean and user-friendly interface was difficult. It required extensive user testing and iteration to ensure that all features were easily accessible and that the design remained simple and engaging. This involved making tough decisions about which elements to include on each screen and how to organize them in a way that supported the user's workflow seamlessly.
I decided to submit my design to an international design competition thanks to the encouragement from my mentor. She recognized the potential impact of Desky and believed that it would benefit from the broader recognition and feedback that such a competition could provide. Their support and belief in my work gave me the confidence to present Desky on a global stage, showcasing its innovative approach to enhancing the hybrid work experience.
Designing Desky taught me the importance of user feedback and iterative design. It reinforced the value of empathy in understanding user needs and highlighted the necessity of flexibility and adaptability in the design process.
Grand Interview about Desky Office Desk Booking Software
I began with a simple question: What would make someone actually want to go back to the office? I conducted qualitative research with hybrid employees across industries. The findings revealed that the motivation wasn’t desks—it was people. That insight informed Desky’s core features: colleague visibility, weekly presence planning, and social-aware booking. I designed the tool to not only solve logistical pain points, but to rebuild workplace culture in a decentralized world.
I’ve always believed that tools should adapt to human behavior—not the other way around. Desky helps users see when teammates are in, so they can sync up naturally. It’s a subtle but powerful way to encourage collaboration. When I serve as a jury member for design awards like IxDA or Communicator Awards, I look for that kind of thoughtful integration—where functionality and empathy are balanced. I took the same standard and applied it to my own work.
Because it was a personal project, I had the freedom to move fast and adjust based on real feedback. I ran weekly usability tests and applied what I learned immediately. My experience judging hundreds of entries across awards like WINA gave me a sharp eye for friction points and UX clarity, which helped streamline that process.
I wanted the office layout to feel alive—not just a static grid. I took inspiration from transit maps and even a bit of game design. It’s intuitive: you see who’s sitting where, what’s available, and book with a tap. This approach to visual storytelling was something I knew would resonate, and I’m glad the A’ Design jury saw its value as well.
Desky reimagines what a workplace tool can be. It’s not just about efficiency—it’s about culture, connection, and user care. From the tone of the microcopy to the fluid motion design, I focused on warmth and clarity. I think being on the jury side of major awards helped me understand how to craft that kind of well-rounded experience. Winning the Bronze A’ Design Award felt like a validation of that holistic mindset.
It was all about giving users control. You can choose whether others see your status or not, and everything is opt-in by default. I wanted to avoid anything that felt like surveillance. When I review entries as a design juror, ethical design is a huge consideration—and I held myself to that same standard here.
Desky was designed mobile-first, since I knew many people would book on the go. But it also scales beautifully to desktop, thanks to a flexible component system. My background in front-end development and accessibility played a big role in making sure everything just worked—whether you were on your phone or a widescreen monitor.
Accessibility isn’t just a checklist—it’s a mindset. I built Desky to support screen readers, high contrast modes, and keyboard navigation. As someone who's judged accessibility-focused design entries, I know how impactful inclusive design can be. Making Desky accessible was non-negotiable—it’s part of what makes good design good for everyone.
Desky started as a booking tool, but it’s really about connection. I’m working on expanding it into a more holistic workplace experience—things like AI-powered suggestions for team overlap, or even mood-based check-ins. I think the future of hybrid work needs tools that are not just smart, but also emotionally aware.
In-person culture matters, even in hybrid environments. I wanted Desky to bring back those small but meaningful moments—like birthday lunches or workshops. By integrating cultural touchpoints, Desky becomes more than a utility; it becomes part of the workplace rhythm. That balance of function and emotional resonance is something I always admire when judging entries—and it’s what I aimed to build into this product.