WWDC just happened, and the design community is busily dissecting every tidbit we got from the keynote.
One major reveal yesterday was a brand new inteface for iOS. Many designers feel Apple went too far with it, but others think it’s great.
My response so far: “I’m not sure yet.”
Using an operating system is often times much more than pure aesthetics. Today’s smartphones act as our email clients, gaming devices, cameras, and maps in addition to being our phones. Such a plethora of activities can not easily be summed up by an icon or color palette.
This desire to not judge things quickly is something I have found myself doing more of lately. Rather than responding instantly to a trend or project, I let it sit with me for a while, and then make a decision after I’ve had some time.
The goal here is to not allow the initial shock of the new, color what an honest impression might be.
In terms of my own design work, this can take the form of a feature request from a client. While I might want to shout out that what they’re suggesting is a terrible idea, I will often hold my tongue until I’ve had some time to think.
After I have spent some time with the request, either I will have more formalized reasoning for why it is a bad idea, or I will have additional strategies that I can use to implement it and only further enhance the vision for the project.
So while my gut might tell me that Apple went too far in one direction with this design, I’m not listening to my gut yet, and giving my brain some time to consider.