Flat design

The term flat design (from the English flat flat and design organization ) has its origins in interface design . It is a graphically minimalist design style.

history

Flat Design: Flat tiles from Windows 8.1

In 2010, flat design was used in Windows Phone 7 . In 2012, it became more widely recognized with the appearance of Windows 8 .

In 2013, Apple also used elements of flat design with its iOS 7 operating system ; Google's Android smartphone operating system followed this design principle from version 5 in November 2014 (under the marketing name of material design ), but made partial use of the previous version 4 Flat design.

From autumn 2017, Microsoft began to change the flat design look to the Fluent Design System in Windows 10, which represents a return to the semi-transparent frosted glass look .

General

With flat design, a realistic representation of textures, decorations, drop shadows and three-dimensional elements is dispensed with and the approach “less is more” is pursued. The focus is on reducing the design to the essentials. Color, on the other hand, is often used intensively; For example, Windows 8 is much more colorful than the previous version.

Skeuomorphism as a contrast to flat design

Contrasted with skeuomorphism

Flat design has developed as a countercurrent to skeuomorphism , in which real images (such as an analog clock, an analog compass) with paper textures and color gradients are used to recreate real interactions in the interface design. In this way, possible interactions such as “pushing a button” are immediately recognized by the user.

During the development of this new, reduced imagery, the need to reproduce real objects and functions was questioned and largely avoided.

literature

• Windows 8 put to the test - everything new on the surface . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung , October 26, 2012

Web links

• Collection of articles on the topic of flat design. T3N magazine
• "Apple slept" - design of the iOS operating system , Süddeutsche Zeitung , June 10, 2013.
• Skeuomorphism and minimalism - two competing design philosophies. mactechnews.de, March 27, 2013; Retrieved November 25, 2017.
• Flat design . Ryte Wiki, Digital Marketing Wiki; Retrieved November 25, 2017.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Design in iOS 7 - Digital Lent . Süddeutsche Zeitung , September 18, 2013
2. ↑ Material design - Google design guidelines. google.com, accessed May 20, 2015 . 
3. ↑ Flat Design - What it is, why it stays. Android 4 clock app as an example of flat design. manx.de, June 27, 2013, accessed on May 20, 2015 . 
4. ↑ golem.de: Microsoft shows Fluent Design in a detailed video
5. ^ Microsoft.com: The Fluent Design System for UWP apps
6. ↑ Away from the window - A look at the beta version of Windows 8. heise.de, March 2012, accessed on January 18, 2014 . 
7. ↑ What is flat design? creativebloq.com, March 12, 2013, accessed January 18, 2014 .