In the next in their series of Building Windows 8 articles, Microsoft talk about designing the calendar app.
This is how this article starts:
When we set out to design the Calendar app for Windows 8, there was no shortage of directional possibilities. Given the long history of calendars in society, and the diversity of Windows customers, we asked ourselves: What are the essential attributes of a great calendaring experience and how can we bring them to life by using the uniquely rich capabilities of Windows 8?
At its heart, a great calendar should to do the following:
- Show your life clearly. You should have crystal clear visibility into what’s happening in your life – at home, at work, and at school.
- Make it easy to get around. Moving back and forth in time should be quick and efficient. Opening events and appointments should feel natural.
- Make it easy to add new items. New things are always coming up in your life. A great calendar makes it easy to make new plans.
- Keep you on time. Well laid plans aren’t very useful if you show up late!
- Be ready to do more. As you get busier, scheduling gets more complicated. Calendar should gracefully handle your needs as they change.
Showing your life clearly
One of the most important functions of a calendar is its ability to answer the questions “What’s going on for me today?” and “What’s coming up next?” As we designed the Calendar app, we focused on providing that clarity and eliminating distractions. Given all the potential capabilities of a digital calendar, keeping this focus can actually be quite difficult. The temptation to add extra bells and whistles can be very real. At the same time, we realized that focus is one thing paper calendars have always been quite good at — they simply present you with the calendar grid and the information you’ve written on it.
With that insight and the clear principles of what it means to be a great Metro style app, we committed to clarity of presentation. The app focuses on the calendar and your content, above all else.
To continue reading, click here.
I wonder what the next article will be about?
