Design a Feature to Proactively Notify Users of Technical Issues

I would approach this by building a 'Proactive Status Layer' integrated into our core monitoring pipeline. First, we need to detect issues before they become critical. I'd leverage Azure Monitor and Application Insights to track error rates, latency spikes, and failed API calls in real-time. Once a metric exceeds a defined threshold, say a 5% increase in 5xx errors over five minutes, an automated alert triggers. Next, the system must validate the issue to prevent false positives. A simple rule-based engine could correlate data across multiple regions to confirm a widespread outage versus a localized glitch. For the notification strategy, I propose a tiered approach. For minor degradations, a subtle banner appears within the product interface, such as a small icon in the top right corner. For major outages affecting core functionality, we trigger an in-app modal and an immediate email or push notification explaining the situation without technical jargon. Crucially, we should include a direct link to a public status dashboard so users can verify the timeline themselves. Finally, success is measured by a target 30% reduction in inbound support tickets related to connectivity during incidents and maintaining a high Net Promoter Score even when services are degraded. This aligns with Microsoft's focus on accessibility and trust.