Wednesday 18 October 2017

An overview of the first iteration of Microsoft's Fluent Design - the new Xbox One dashboard UI

An abstract overview of the Fluent Design System


A floating home/action menu allows for the user to engage with most access points/areas of the system without having to leave their current location. This makes them feel more confident in using it without the threat of being thrown away from where they are. 

Popup layering is a very effective way of providing hierarchy and breadcrumbs to the system, particularly as the user moves from one part of a single application to the other. In this example they are moving from the 'People' tab to the 'Friends' tab. 

A very obvious button selection state is particularly useful on a TV interfaces because of the quantity of elements on-screen (enabled by the huge real estate of the display). This selection state is also tailored to the account holder's chosen colour, so mine is blue. This adds an effective layer of customisation, and has a big impact on the appearance of the system. 

Dark Mode dashboard with Purple profile colour
System theme selection
A ubiquitous feature in automotive UI design - Light and Dark modes, is now making its way into desktop, mobile and now console user interfaces. The same practical reasoning applies to all - using the system in a bright environment is easier in Light Mode, and using Dark Mode is easier in a dark environment. It's also a customisation feature that people really like to have.

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