Widget Drawer

Overview

The Widget Drawer is a persistent, modular UI framework that introduced global surfaces for delivering information and actions without clutter. It began with widgets on Alexa home devices and evolved to extend into mobility contexts.

Role

System designer and lead for the Widget Drawer framework. Defined interaction contracts, priority rules, and governance. Partnered with engineering, product management, and business development. Enabled third-party adoption and monetization pathways.

System / Work

Widgets were treated as global surfaces rather than app-bound UI, sitting above applications to surface critical content without fragmenting flows. The framework established clear contracts, attention rules, and predictable behavior across contexts.

In partnership with product and business development, the system was opened to third-party applications, allowing sports, finance, and entertainment providers to surface timely content through widgets—creating a flywheel for engagement and monetization without compromising system integrity.

Outcome

Established a durable platform primitive for global UI surfaces. Enabled third-party participation through governed frameworks. Reduced cognitive load and avoided app-level interruptions. Laid the structural foundation for embedded AI.

With stable global surfaces in place, the next question became how intelligence could participate—only when appropriate—without overwhelming the system or the person.