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Rethinking the Overlay as a Control Surface

May - December 2025

4 Designers & 1 Product Manager

Product Design Intern

overview

In the summer of 2025, I joined AMD as a Product Design Intern contributing to one of the largest redesigns AMD Software had undertaken in recent years. My focus was reworking the Overlay View, a lightweight interface that sits on top of any application, designed for quick, in-session control. At the time, the overlay was limited to displaying system metrics. My role was to evolve it into something users could interact with and act through, without leaving whatever they were doing.

Context

The overlay used to do more.

Two versions ago, the AMD Software overlay gave users direct access to the controls they needed most, all without leaving their session. It was compact and fast, built around the reality that users don't stop mid-game to dig through a settings panel. Over major updates, that got stripped back to metrics only, and everything else moved into the full application.

Context 1.1 - old overlay

Problem space

Read-only metrics, no controls.

What replaced it was an overlay stripped down to just displaying system information. Useful to glance at, but nothing more. Any actual change still meant closing the overlay, opening the full application, and navigating through panels to find the right setting. For users mid-session, that's enough friction to just not bother.

Core problem 1.1 - current overlay

Heavy use of technical language.

This wasn't a new problem. Even the original overlay used terminology that casual users struggled to parse. But as more features moved into the full application, settings became more numerous and granular, making it harder to know what each option did or how it would affect your system without prior technical knowledge.

Core problem 1.2 - a pile of technical terms

the goals

Redefining what the overlay should do.

Restore quick access to the controls users lost, and use AI to help users understand and interact with technical features through natural language, without needing prior knowledge to get the most out of the software.

Restore quick access to the controls users lost, and use AI to help users understand and interact with technical features through natural language, without needing prior knowledge to get the most out of the software.

Initial exploration

Starting with a familiar pattern.

The first concept introduced a traditional multi-message chatbot within the Overlay View. Users could engage in threaded conversations and refine requests over time. While familiar, the interface quickly became visually dense and required users to manage chat history in a space meant for quick interactions.

The first concept introduced a traditional multi-message chatbot within the Overlay View. Users could engage in threaded conversations and refine requests over time. While familiar, the interface quickly became visually dense and required users to manage chat history in a space meant for quick interactions.

New structure 1.1 - overlay mode layout

Key Insights

The overlay is designed for fast, in-the-moment adjustments, not extended conversations. The chat format added cognitive load and slowed the path from question to action.

RETHINKING THE INTERACTION MODEL

Describe the problem, get a fix.

Instead of continuing a thread, responses can transform into pinnable widgets, allowing users to take immediate action. Just type or say what you're experiencing, like "my game is stuttering" or "my fan is too loud," and the AI reads your live hardware data, figures out what's actually wrong, and hands you a one-tap fix on the spot.

AMD Chat rework 1.1 - chatbot redesign

Responses that become controls.

I designed the assistant to adapt its responses based on user intent. For explanations or recommendations, it provides concise text outputs. When a user requests a specific feature, the assistant generates a pinnable widget instead, turning guidance into an actionable and persistent control within the Overlay View.

I designed the assistant to adapt its responses based on user intent. For explanations or recommendations, it provides concise text outputs. When a user requests a specific feature, the assistant generates a pinnable widget instead, turning guidance into an actionable and persistent control within the Overlay View.

AMD Chat rework 1.2 - pinnable widget output

Widgets panel

Keeping what matters within reach.

To support the pinning interaction, I introduced a dedicated widgets panel within the overlay. This panel allows pinned controls to remain persistently accessible each time the overlay is opened, ensuring important information and actions are available without interrupting the overall experience.

To support the pinning interaction, I introduced a dedicated widgets panel within the overlay. This panel allows pinned controls to remain persistently accessible each time the overlay is opened, ensuring important information and actions are available without interrupting the overall experience.

Widgets panel 1.1 - introduction

Widgets panel 1.1 - introduction

Manual widget 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.

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

Widgets panel 1.2 - manually adding widgets

overall structure

Layout built around how users scan.

To preserve familiar scanning patterns and maintain consistency with the current overlay layout, I kept key system information on the right, where pinnable widgets live as persistent controls. The center becomes the space for contextual actions, with AMD Chat serving as the primary interaction point.

To preserve familiar scanning patterns and maintain consistency with the current overlay layout, I kept key system information on the right, where pinnable widgets live as persistent controls. The center becomes the space for contextual actions, with AMD Chat serving as the primary interaction point.

Overall structure 1.1 - overlay mode layout

IN-GAME MODE

Most-used controls, one click away.

Most gamers don't stop to think mid-session, they act. So instead of asking the AI to do something, we added a modal that puts the most-reached-for controls & features one click away.

Most gamers don't stop to think mid-session, they act. So instead of asking the AI to do something, we added a modal that puts the most-reached-for controls & features one click away.

Key features 1.1 - screen recording

One-click solution to graphics settings.

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 initiated the idea of an in game widget with simplified slider controls, enabling quick performance adjustments without manually tweaking multiple parameters.

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 initiated the idea of an in game widget with simplified slider controls, enabling quick performance adjustments without manually tweaking multiple parameters.

Key features 1.2 - in-game mode

Start recording without leaving the game.

The in-game mode prioritizes high-usage features like screen recording, allowing users to start capturing directly through AMD Chat or a keyboard shortcut without navigating the full application.

The in-game mode prioritizes high-usage features like screen recording, allowing users to start capturing directly through AMD Chat or a keyboard shortcut without navigating the full application.

Key features 1.1 - screen recording

coming soon..

Building toward the Full View.

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.

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…

Retrospective

What I learned.

  • Alignment with PM is key!

    Our ability to move quickly came from staying closely aligned with the product manager throughout ideation.

  • Not Everyone Is a Tech Wizard

    Always put ourselves in the boots of casual users because not everyone has the same level of technical knowledge or patience when navigating complex software.

  • Alignment with PM is key!

    Our ability to move quickly came from staying closely aligned with the product manager throughout ideation.

  • Not Everyone Is a Tech Wizard

    Always put ourselves in the boots of casual users because not everyone has the same level of technical knowledge or patience when navigating complex software.

Retrospective

What I learned.

  • Alignment with PM is key!

    Our ability to move quickly came from staying closely aligned with the product manager throughout ideation.

  • Not Everyone Is a Tech Wizard

    Always put ourselves in the boots of casual users because not everyone has the same level of technical knowledge or patience when navigating complex software.

" The art challenges the technology and the technology inspires the art"

— John Lasseter

" The art challenges the technology and the technology inspires the art"

— John Lasseter

Overview
Context
Problem Space
Project Goals
Solution
What's Next
Retrospective