Problem & Context
The friction wasn't in the tools. It was in the moment before sending.
Remote work tools show availability, but they do little to reduce the social hesitation behind reaching out. People still worry about interrupting someone, asking the wrong question, or whether a message is urgent enough to send. Reach addresses that uncertainty before the conversation begins.
Reflection
Iteration is part of the design, not a step after it.
This project reinforced that iteration is part of the design, not a step after it. Research shifted the direction away from a tool-first solution, while testing helped reduce the experience to three clear moments.
The biggest lesson was that designing for social hesitation requires simpler choices, stronger reasoning, and earlier testing with real teams.
Three Moments Inside Slack
Setting context, asking for permission, and responding without pressure.
Reach breaks the experience into three lightweight moments designed to reduce friction on both sides of the conversation.
Moment 1
Cognitive Mode Setting
Users choose a working mode — Open, Heads Down, Deep Focus, or Wrapping Up — and set how long it should remain active. The mode appears on their Slack profile, giving teammates context before they reach out without requiring a separate status message.
Moment 2
Soft Knock
When someone messages a teammate in focus mode, Reach asks whether the request is urgent. The sender can wait or send a soft knock, creating a lightweight way to reach out without immediately interrupting the receiver.
Moment 3
Receiver Response
The receiver sees who is reaching out and whether the request is urgent, but not the message itself. They can respond with Go ahead, Give me 5, or Async works — allowing them to coordinate without being pulled into a full conversation.
Project Overview
Remote workers don't lack communication tools. They hesitate to reach out.
Reach is a Slack plugin that adds context before a message is sent, helping senders communicate with less uncertainty while allowing receivers to protect their focus.
Role
UX Researcher & Product Designer
Timeline
Spring 2026
Focus
Remote work communication, social hesitation, Slack interaction patterns
UX Research
Interaction Design
Product Design
Reach
A Slack plugin for communication hesitation in remote work
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©2026
Human By Design
UX Research
Interaction Design
Product Design
Reach
A Slack plugin for communication hesitation in remote work
Project Overview
Remote workers don't lack communication tools. They hesitate to reach out.
Reach is a Slack plugin that adds context before a message is sent, helping senders communicate with less uncertainty while allowing receivers to protect their focus.
Role
UX Researcher & Product Designer
Timeline
Spring 2026
Focus
Remote work communication, social hesitation, Slack interaction patterns
Three Moments Inside Slack
Setting context, asking for permission, and responding without pressure.
Reach breaks the experience into three lightweight moments designed to reduce friction on both sides of the conversation.
Moment 1
Cognitive Mode Setting
Users choose a working mode — Open, Heads Down, Deep Focus, or Wrapping Up — and set how long it should remain active. The mode appears on their Slack profile, giving teammates context before they reach out without requiring a separate status message.
Moment 2
Soft Knock
When someone messages a teammate in focus mode, Reach asks whether the request is urgent. The sender can wait or send a soft knock, creating a lightweight way to reach out without immediately interrupting the receiver.
Moment 3
Receiver Response
The receiver sees who is reaching out and whether the request is urgent, but not the message itself. They can respond with Go ahead, Give me 5, or Async works — allowing them to coordinate without being pulled into a full conversation.
Reflection
Iteration is part of the design, not a step after it.
This project reinforced that iteration is part of the design, not a step after it. Research shifted the direction away from a tool-first solution, while testing helped reduce the experience to three clear moments.
The biggest lesson was that designing for social hesitation requires simpler choices, stronger reasoning, and earlier testing with real teams.
Want to work together?
UX Research
Interaction Design
Product Design
Reach
A Slack plugin for communication hesitation in remote work
Project Overview
Remote workers don't lack communication tools. They hesitate to reach out.
Reach is a Slack plugin that adds context before a message is sent, helping senders communicate with less uncertainty while allowing receivers to protect their focus.
Role
UX Researcher & Product Designer
Timeline
Spring 2026
Focus
Remote work communication, social hesitation, Slack interaction patterns
Three Moments Inside Slack
Setting context, asking for permission, and responding without pressure.
Reach breaks the experience into three lightweight moments designed to reduce friction on both sides of the conversation.
Moment 1
Cognitive Mode Setting
Users choose a working mode — Open, Heads Down, Deep Focus, or Wrapping Up — and set how long it should remain active. The mode appears on their Slack profile, giving teammates context before they reach out without requiring a separate status message.
Moment 2
Soft Knock
When someone messages a teammate in focus mode, Reach asks whether the request is urgent. The sender can wait or send a soft knock, creating a lightweight way to reach out without immediately interrupting the receiver.
Moment 3
Receiver Response
The receiver sees who is reaching out and whether the request is urgent, but not the message itself. They can respond with Go ahead, Give me 5, or Async works — allowing them to coordinate without being pulled into a full conversation.
Reflection
Iteration is part of the design, not a step after it.
This project reinforced that iteration is part of the design, not a step after it. Research shifted the direction away from a tool-first solution, while testing helped reduce the experience to three clear moments.
The biggest lesson was that designing for social hesitation requires simpler choices, stronger reasoning, and earlier testing with real teams.
Want to work together?