[Flyme 360°] An interview with Chris Chen, Flyme Design Director

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2016-05-24 16:17

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About Chris Chen:
Manager of Flyme Visual Design

2008:  Worked at Sky Design

2010:  Joined Tencent’s MIG, in charge of Mobile QQ & Contact apps; designed the 1st iOS QQ version;

2013:  Joined MEIZU as Flyme design team leader. Now he is the leading designer for  Flyme 3, 4 & 5

Q: What do you think is the defference between Flyme and stock Android?
A: Flyme is a deep customized OS which is based on Android. We keep the Android bottom layer structure and modified a lot of details and features on the surface layer. Our design concept is about enhancing user experience with simpler operation and prettier interface.


Q: How does Flyme distinguish itself from other Android-based OS?
A: The design is one of our distinguishing features; we are keen on Natural Design, and introduced flat style design concept at a very early stage. Flat design is not a “Genic mutation” of Flyme but the result of our design evolution. Our design has its continuity so you can see the path from earlier design to the one we present now; it means our accumulation is on the right way and you can see the connection.

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Q: Flyme5 is changed a lot compares to Flyme4, what's the design principle of Flyme?
A: We considered “user distance” in our new design; we added more colors, used friendlier design language and more situation-oriented scene design, to let our UI become warmer, friendlier and closer to our users. In the other hand, we used “container design” to make our content more obvious and better to be read. This 'content-oriented' design greatly enhanced the user experience. So generally speaking, Flyme5 is designed to be closer to our users.
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Q: In you opinion, what are the characteristics of Android and iOS?
A: The top concerning of iOS is not visual features but the actual user experience; this is the major difference than other OS. iOS is also very rigorous and easy to understand, but sometimes it become rigid as the operation standards are unified. And about Android, there’re big differences between versions, the design concept is inconsistent and sometimes self-contradicted; Android covers more aspects, this is the good point, but iOS is more deep-going and more concentrating regarding to user experience, in this aspect, iOS is a little better.


Q: What do you think are the UI design trends for mobile device in the upcoming 3 years?
A: In my point of view, the trend will still be flat style in near future, but there will be more innovations about colors; flat style design is light and good for daily usage on mobile device; and users now have better knowledge about smart phones, an abstractive flat style design will be more welcomed by them.  

Q: It says a person has to be good-looking to enter Flyme design team, is that true?
A: Oh, yes,  it is. (Laugh)