Microsoft thinks “design-first”

In a shift away from the previous model, Microsoft will be taking a page out of Apple’s book.

A few weeks ago, I highlighted a new data-analysis tool from Microsoft that automatically analyzes and visualizes data as users type into a search bar. The feature, called Q&A, is an impressive piece of technology, hiding some complex computations under a deceptively simple user interface. That was no mistake.

“Microsoft was not a design-first company for many years,” explained Microsoft Technical Fellow and Q&A team member Amir Netz during a recent demo of the product. “… You see the design-first [mentality] now permeating even the highest-end enterprise products.” (We’ll be featuring the best in experience design at ourRoadMap conference next month).