Reshaping System Controls for a Smart Experience
3 Team Members
May - December 2025
I'll Finalize the UI Guy
Overview
AMD Software is a widely used native desktop application for performance tuning, graphics management, and driver updates. Throughout my internship at AMD, I contributed to the redesign initiative for AMD Software, focusing on creating a cleaner, more accessible and more personalized experience. I worked closely with other designers, product managers, and engineers to refine interaction patterns, and prototype a more intuitive interface.
HIGHLIGHT
Reimagining how system controls appear during high-focus moments through a lightweight, contextual overlay.
Context
Context 1.1 - current AMD Software
PROBLEM SPACE
Reducing friction between quick actions and deep controls.
AMD Software offers powerful tools for both casual and advanced users, but accessing them often requires navigating dense layouts and technical settings. During active use, this creates unnecessary friction especially when users need to make quick adjustments without breaking focus.
How might we surface the right level of control at the right moment, without compromising depth or flexibility?
understanding our users
Difficulty accessing key features.
To better understand our users, I observed how they navigated key settings across the software through user testing. These sessions revealed repeated moments of confusion, where users struggled to locate key features and determine where to go next due to overly complex navigation flows.
Pain points 1.1 - navigation challenges
Heavy use of technical language.
Users also had trouble understanding certain features. Many settings used technical terminology or required knowledge that casual users didn’t have, which made it hard for them to know what each option did or how it would affect their system.
Pain points 1.2 - a pile of technical terms
Overwhelming information density.
Many screens present too much information at once. Charts, toggles, metrics, and settings compete for attention, making it difficult for users to quickly identify what matters most, especially for casual users.
Pain points 1.3 - overwhelming information
Design goals
Overlay View (extension)
Lightweight interface that provides quick, in-context access to system information and controls.
Full View
Primary application interface that provides comprehensive access to advanced settings,
HIGH-LEVEL AUDIT
Metrics without action.
When auditing the current experience, I noticed that the overlay primarily functions as a passive dashboard. It surfaces PC performance metrics like FPS and GPU usage clearly, but stops short of enabling meaningful action. As a result, users still need to switch back to the full application whenever they want to make adjustments.
Audit 1.1 - current state of overlay view
From standalone chat to contextual assistance.
With the design goals in place, the team explored how the existing AI chatbot could become a natural part of the Overlay View rather than a separate feature. The goal was to embed it into the core interaction so guidance appears in context, aligned with what users are doing, instead of requiring manual navigation and exploration.
Audit 1.2 - integrating AMD Chat to overlay view
new structure
Preserving familiarity through layout.
To preserve the familiar scanning patterns of the current layout, I designed the interface so that key system information continues to live on the right, maintaining a sense of stability and familiarity. The center then becomes a space for contextual actions, with AMD Chat positioned as the primary interaction point.
New structure 1.1 - overlay mode layout
AMD CHat rework
A conversational way to interact with the system.
The AMD Chat experience evolves from a navigation heavy workflow into a simple, conversational layer for accessing guidance. Instead of digging through menus or understanding technical terminology, users can describe what they want in plain language and receive contextual support instantly, removing the need for deep technical knowledge.
AMD Chat rework 1.1 - initial design
How the design evolved.
In the design iteration, the team decided to intentionally shift from a multi-message chat thread to displaying a single, focused response. In an overlay environment, attention is limited and users need clarity at a glance. A threaded chat introduced unnecessary visual noise and made it harder to identify the key action or insight.
AMD Chat rework 1.2 - chat design iteration
Introducing "pinnable widget" as an output.
AI responses can appear in different forms depending on what the user needs. In most cases, I designed the assistant to provide a simple text response for explanations or recommendations. When users request a specific feature, the assistant generates a pinnable widget instead, making the interaction more actionable and persistent when needed.
AMD Chat rework 1.3 - widget output
Widgets panel
Keeping what matters within reach.
When a chat response surfaced useful guidance or actions, I started to question how those outputs could extend beyond a single interaction. To address this, I proposed a feature that allows users to pin helpful responses as widgets, keeping them visible each time the overlay is opened.
A dedicated widgets panel supports this system, making important information and updates persistently accessible without interrupting the overall experience.
Widgets panel 1.1 - introduction
User-controlled customization.
Beyond pinning chat outputs, I designed the overlay to let users add widgets manually, giving them the flexibility to tailor the experience to their own needs rather than relying only on AI suggestions.
Widgets panel 1.2 - manually adding widgets
Collapsible panel.
The widget panel is collapsible, allowing users to hide or reveal their widgets depending on what they’re doing. This keeps the overlay flexible and prevents it from feeling cluttered.
Widgets panel 1.3 - collapsible
Alternative navigation
Not feeling the AI?
The team recognize that some users prefer manual navigation without AI intervention. For these users, the input field can switch into a search-based mode via slash commands, serving as a central hub for accessing the full range of available actions and requests in one place.
Alternative navigation 1.1 - slash command
KEY FEATURES: IN-GAME MODE
One-click solution to graphics settings & recording.
While the software offers powerful configuration options, users often struggle to determine which settings actually improve performance for their specific system during gameplay. To address this, I proposed an in game widget with simplified slider controls, enabling quick performance adjustments without manually tweaking multiple parameters.
In-game mode 1.1 - one-click prompt
Key features: SCREEN RECORDING
Faster access to screen recording.
Beyond improving feature discovery, the overlay prioritizes high-usage features like screen recording, allowing users to start recording directly via AMD Chat or a keyboard shortcut without navigating the full application.
Screen recording - screen record through overlay
THE BIGGER PICTURE
What's next for AMD Software ?
While the engineering team prepared the back-end foundation for the overlay view, the design team continued developing concepts for the Full View. The Full View remains essential for deeper configuration and long-term control. Redesigning it ensures users can clearly understand, explore, and manage more complex settings, making it a critical foundation for the overall AMD Software experience.
coming soon…
Usability Testing
Getting feedback from others.
While the backend foundation of the overlay view is underway, the team is also testing the design with internal users & beta testers. This step is essential to ensure the concepts hold up in real scenarios, uncover usability issues early, and validate that the experience meets both user expectations and technical constraints.
Unfortunately…
I wasn't able to be involved during this phase because my internship term had ended. However, most of the test cases were already defined and covered prior to my departure.