Microsoft Survey: secure offline surveys for Surface Pro 3

Business context

In 2014, Microsoft was accelerating its “devices and services” strategy with the launch of Surface Pro 3. To refine the product more quickly, it needed a consistent, scalable tool for collecting user feedback across multiple contexts – from shops and events to field research.

The goal was clear: design an easy-to-use survey application that works equally well online and offline, while guaranteeing data security and giving users the option to leave feedback anonymously or with their contact details.

Microsoft chose Leaware as its technology partner to create a solution that would unify the feedback collection process and ensure a reliable flow of data to the cloud, supporting faster decision-making for product teams.

Challenge

The biggest challenge was ensuring seamless collection and storage of responses in offline mode, followed by secure and reliable synchronisation with Microsoft’s database once connectivity was restored. The system had to prevent data loss and handle connection interruptions effectively.

It was also crucial to balance anonymity with the option to leave contact details. The solution had to meet high corporate security standards while maintaining maximum interface simplicity and a short completion path to increase survey completion rates.

Additionally, it needed to scale to support large numbers of users and responses, maintain data consistency across different usage scenarios, and provide an intuitive experience that encourages participation.

Solution

Leaware built the Microsoft Survey application using Xamarin and Azure Mobile Services. This technology stack enabled rapid delivery of a consistent user experience and flexible integration with Microsoft cloud services.

A key feature was local caching of responses – users could complete surveys without internet access, and once connectivity was restored, the application automatically synchronised the data with the Azure cloud. The synchronisation mechanisms ensured data integrity and eliminated duplicates.

The UX layer was simplified to minimise friction: short forms, a clear survey flow, and optional contact fields. Security was a priority – separation of identifying data, encrypted transmission, and controlled storage of information in the cloud.

The result is a tool that consistently provides insight into Surface Pro 3 usage and user satisfaction, supporting continuous product improvement and future hardware iterations.