metro Modern design at Microsoft: Going beyond flat design

[BajiRav]

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/stories/design/

Interesting website (and doesn't scroll with mouse for some reason).

A design journey

Growing up, I dreamed of becoming a Formula One race car driver ? the raw speed, cutting-edge technology and competition had me hooked. At the same time, I was fascinated by the idea of working in design and being a part of creating things that are as beautiful and unique as they are delightful and rich with personality.

I ultimately took a path that led me to Microsoft 16 years ago where amazing technology and fierce competition abound. But Microsoft was hardly synonymous with design.

That is, until about three years ago when a brilliant community of designers started to think differently about design and ultimately established a Microsoft design ethos. Since then a remarkable shift has taken place.

Nick Bilton of The New York Times recently wrote: (Microsoft's) "decision to focus on ?flat design,' a type of visual scheme where everything has a smooth and even look, was a few years ahead of the rest of the technology and user interface industry."

Though ?flat design? is a popular meme right now, there is something much, much deeper going on here at Microsoft. With my own lifelong passion for design I immersed myself in the community and got a front-row seat on a journey that has its roots as far back as the late ?90s with Encarta?s bold use of typography and clean interface. But it truly sprang to life in late 2010 with the launch of Windows Phone and in the last few weeks has advanced even further with Windows 8.1 and Xbox One.

I started from the very place I bet you are right now ? disbelief that Microsoft is leading the way on design.

[_neutrino Veteran]

very interesting web design, i agree though using the mouse to scroll would have been a better experience.

[primexx]

you can scroll, juts use horizontal scrolling instead of vertical.

[Dot Matrix]

(and doesn't scroll with mouse for some reason).

You'll have to use the right to left toggle on the wheel to scroll.

[Noir Angel]

Microsoft leading the way in design? As Bender from Futurama would say "That activates my hilarity unit".

[BajiRav]

You'll have to use the right to left toggle on the wheel to scroll.

My mouse at work doesn't have it (generic Dell crap).

Microsoft leading the way in design? As Bender from Futurama would say "That activates my hilarity unit".

Uh they always have lead on the UI design themes.

[Dot Matrix]

Microsoft leading the way in design? As Bender from Futurama would say "That activates my hilarity unit".

Considering Apple and Google are now using flat design, they're spot on.

[Growled Member]

I'm not sure who is leading who here but flat design is hot right now, for sure.

[Noir Angel]

Considering Apple and Google are now using flat design, they're spot on.

Google don't make the entire UI of their products look like some ghastly cartoony throwback to the early 90s

[primexx]

I'm not sure who is leading who here but flat design is hot right now, for sure.

Well I did mine before Windows 8 :p

[Osiris]

Its irrelevant who pioneered flat design or not, trends come and go and this is no exception, the legacy though and message I got from the story was that MS and the team have rebuilt the companys design principles, not only are they principles they believe in but ones that will hold true into the future, they aren't short sightedly built around the trend itself.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Considering Apple and Google are now using flat design, they're spot on.

Google is using what some call "almost-flat" design. I'm assuming Apple will go into a somewhat similar direction on Monday. i'd be very surprised if they started to mimic Metro-flat design in their UIs and started going all "authentically digital" on us. But we'll really have to wait and see.

Anyway, thanks for the link, I'm going to have to read it at a later point, but I'm sure it's interesting.

[Dot Matrix]

Google don't make the entire UI of their products look like some ghastly cartoony throwback to the early 90s

Metro isn't a throwback to the 90's. It still takes advantage of deep color, and people's GPUs.