From Minimal to Meaningful

This essay is based on a talk given at Config 2024.

Ten years ago, Material Design shook up the digital design world. Gray, boxy interfaces were replaced with bold colors, clear visual hierarchy, and new elements like the Floating Action Button. This brought harmony to web and mobile design, freeing designers to focus on what truly set their products apart.

But the journey from Material Design 1 to today’s Material Design 3 wasn’t always smooth. It required challenging long-held design beliefs and uncovering deeper truths about what users really want. Here's how the Material Design team broke four conventional design “rules” along the way.

At first, the Material team chased minimalism, striving for the simplest possible designs. But too much simplicity led to products that felt cold and uninspiring. We realized that emotions matter, so we adopted a new mantra: “Form follows feeling.” Shape, color, and motion can breathe life into product design, creating more engaging and personalized experiences.

Traditional design starts with a comprehensive brief. However, we found that sometimes the most important thing is to simply start. By sketching and designing directly, we gained a deeper understanding of the problem and a wider range of creative approaches to choose from.

For example, the team held weekly drawing sessions where folks would toss ideas into a shared deck. We started seeing a lot of asymmetry and differently sized shapes that made us think more about using shape to communicate hierarchy. Sometimes, the most groundbreaking ideas emerge not from meticulous planning, but from a willingness to simply start creating.

“Design by committee” might sound like a recipe for disaster, but we embraced collaboration. Using tools like Figma, we brought together hundreds of designers to generate a wealth of ideas, fostering a sense of shared ownership and consensus.

Design systems are all about consistency, right? While Material Design initially focused on shared patterns, we realized that users crave personalization. We shifted gears with Material Design 2, emphasizing flexibility and encouraging diverse expressions. Material Design 3 takes personalization even further with Dynamic Color, which adapts to individual preferences.

The evolution of Material Design shows that design principles aren't set in stone. They need to be constantly re-evaluated and updated. As we enter an era of AI and ever-evolving interfaces, our emphasis on emotional resonance, collaboration, and personalization offers a compelling vision for the future of design systems.

By challenging the status quo and putting human connection first, we can create digital experiences that are not only functional but truly meaningful.