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With Vista, Microsoft overhauls look and feel of Windows
With Vista, Microsoft overhauls look and feel of Windows
Monday, January 29, 2007
By TODD BISHOP
To hear Jenny Lam talk about her line of work, a casual listener might think for a moment that she designs luxury automobiles, or maybe high-end furniture.
"We've reduced it down to its simplest form, taken away until we couldn't take away any more, and then crafted it and perfected it until it's beautiful," she said, referring to one element of Windows Vista's on-screen interface.
Longtime Windows users might be surprised, but that philosophy and attention to detail reflect a broader effort by Microsoft to improve the design of its operating system. Consumers will be able to judge the result starting Tuesday, when Windows Vista comes out.
It's the first new version of Windows in more than five years, and the company has overhauled the operating system in a variety of ways -- promising stronger security, better system performance, fast file searching and other features.
But for new users sitting down to try the program, the most obvious change may be the work of the design team -- especially on machines with the horsepower to run Windows Vista's more advanced graphical features. The new Windows has a glossy look, with translucent window frames and a "glass" appearance on many parts of the desktop.
As the Windows User Experience creative director, Lam, 32, is a key member of the team, responsible for areas including user experience and aesthetics. One goal is to make sure that the experience of using the product is consistent with the brand projected by the marketing.
To be sure, Microsoft hasn't traditionally been known for high-quality design. One hope with Windows Vista is to change that perception, Lam said.
At the same time, similarities between Windows Vista and Apple's existing Mac OS X operating system have raised eyebrows in the industry. Apple itself has publicly poked fun at Windows Vista, referring to it as a "copycat."
Not so, Lam said.
"There are certain themes that happen in the industry, within software, such as higher-fidelity visuals, more pixels, more color, and there are also design principles that are universal. ... Things like simplicity and clear space, and hierarchy -- all those things are fundamentals of design that you can't help but adopt if you want to make a great product that people desire."
The design team aimed for a timeless quality in Windows Vista, reflecting "authenticity and "classic shapes," Lam said.
Microsoft's market position means that millions of people will be viewing the design team's work for years to come.
"To be designing something that is so ubiquitous, that people sit in front of eight hours a day, five days a week ... that's a huge responsibility," Lam said.
Lam's influence can be seen in the design of elements including Windows Vista's desktop wallpapers, screen savers and the new "Flip 3D" three-dimensional window-switching feature to be available in premium versions of the operating system.
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| Jenny Lam, creative director for Windows User Experience, adjusts an oversized version of the Windows Vista "Start" button -- which no longer says "Start." |
A redesign of the Windows "Start" button is one of the most prominent examples of the new approach to design. The company paid extra attention to it because, unlike many other elements, it's ever present, sitting there in the lower left corner of the screen. The biggest change: It no longer says "Start."
The use of that word long has been a source of confusion, and jokes, because the "Start" menu also is where people go to shut down the computer or log off.
The new button is the Windows logo in a glossy bubble, with no words at all. Internally, Microsoft calls it "the pearl."
Microsoft's decision to take away the word "Start" reflects a key part of the design strategy. One goal was to take away unnecessary user-interface components, Lam said.
Another notable element is the "glass" appearance in window frames and other parts of the operating system, so long as your system is powerful enough. The frames are actually larger than in the past, making them easier to click on, while still allowing the user to see through them to the desktop.
"The biggest point is that we focus in on the user's content," and not the frame, Lam said. "If you look at (Windows) XP, you can see from far away the blue outline of a frame. That's not the most important part about your experience. The most important part is the stuff you're doing in the window."
Take a Windows Vista graphical tour, click here.
