How I became authentically digital, or: what you need to know about the “Metro” design language
Microsoft’s “Metro” design language first appeared on Windows phone, and has now been adapted for Xbox and Windows 8. Since its appearance it has generated a combination of praise, confusion and copious discussion among interaction designers. Is Metro a valid attempt to evolve the art of interactive products and services? Or is it a deliberate strategy to commoditise interaction design to the point where it requires less design, and less designers?
We’ll look at Metro’s inspirations and aspirations, We’ll discuss what it means to be “authentically digital”, and we’ll look at some of the more unique aspects of Metro, such as Live Tiles and Panoramic pages, and how they might change the way designers approach the design task.
Of course we’ll cover where to get resources and tools for working with Metro, but most important we’ll start a discussion about the merits, or otherwise, of Metro and what it might say about current and future trends in interactive design – for Microsoft platforms or not.
