Microsoft answers your burning questions about Fluent Design
Microsoft is answering questions about Fluent Design as part of its inaugural Fluent Friday Tweet chat. Here's a rundown.

One of the more exciting additions to Windows 10 in the last year was Microsoft's Fluent Design System. Since its debut, Microsoft has been slowly rolling out aspects of the new design language across Windows 10, but it's a constantly evolving process.
As we look toward the future of Fluent Design, Microsoft today kicked off the inaugural Fluent Friday chat with Principle Design Lead Joey Pitt and Senior Dev Writer Mike Jacobs on Twitter. Both are currently fielding questions about Fluent Design on Twitter, and we're collecting the answers right here.
Welcome one, welcome all to our inaugural #FluentFriday #TweetChat with special guests, Principle Design Lead @JPitt and Senior Dev Writer @MikeTheSnowbean! Thanks for joining and don't forget to use #FluentFriday. Let the questions begin...Welcome one, welcome all to our inaugural #FluentFriday #TweetChat with special guests, Principle Design Lead @JPitt and Senior Dev Writer @MikeTheSnowbean! Thanks for joining and don't forget to use #FluentFriday. Let the questions begin...— Microsoft Design (@MicrosoftDesign) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
Will more materials be introduced?
Emphasis on the word family. We are making sure that the new materials we add all work together to help make your app look and feel great. #A1Emphasis on the word family. We are making sure that the new materials we add all work together to help make your app look and feel great. #A1— Joey Pitt (@jpitt) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
Can Fluent Design be used outside of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP)?
We hear this feedback a lot, and we've been working hard to make Fluent more accessible wherever you are. Like @MikeTheSnowbean said, tune in to Build for more info. #Q2We hear this feedback a lot, and we've been working hard to make Fluent more accessible wherever you are. Like @MikeTheSnowbean said, tune in to Build for more info. #Q2— Joey Pitt (@jpitt) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
Some of our Fluent Design guidelines, such as creating a strong visual hierarchy and responsive designs, can be applied to any platform. We'll be talking about Fluent Design for other platforms during our BUILD conference May 7th-9th: https://t.co/LyCNxlEjpg #A2Some of our Fluent Design guidelines, such as creating a strong visual hierarchy and responsive designs, can be applied to any platform. We'll be talking about Fluent Design for other platforms during our BUILD conference May 7th-9th: https://t.co/LyCNxlEjpg #A2— Mike Jacobs (@MikeTheSnowbean) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
Will Office incorporate Fluent Design?
We're also working hard to incorporate the great work Office is doing into the platform so that the whole ecosystem can use it. Some of these features will be announced at Build. #A3We're also working hard to incorporate the great work Office is doing into the platform so that the whole ecosystem can use it. Some of these features will be announced at Build. #A3— Joey Pitt (@jpitt) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
Why is Fluent Design iteration so slow?
I recently sat down for an interview on this very topic (and others). Take a look here - https://t.co/XTX7joXPKD #A4I recently sat down for an interview on this very topic (and others). Take a look here - https://t.co/XTX7joXPKD #A4— Joey Pitt (@jpitt) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
How does Fluent Design incorporate inclusive design?
Inclusiveness is at the core of Fluent Design. By adapting to different hardware and, even more importantly, to people, Fluent Design help create experiences that feel natural and intuitive to a diverse audience. 1/2 #Q5Inclusiveness is at the core of Fluent Design. By adapting to different hardware and, even more importantly, to people, Fluent Design help create experiences that feel natural and intuitive to a diverse audience. 1/2 #Q5— Mike Jacobs (@MikeTheSnowbean) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
You can learn more about our commitment to inclusive design here: https://t.co/DK2bFJ8ACs
Also check out our accessibility guidelines for creating inclusive apps: https://t.co/VqcTb5HclL #Q5 2/2You can learn more about our commitment to inclusive design here: https://t.co/DK2bFJ8ACs
Also check out our accessibility guidelines for creating inclusive apps: https://t.co/VqcTb5HclL #Q5 2/2— Mike Jacobs (@MikeTheSnowbean) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
We also work to make sure all of the controls and patterns that we build into the platform are as inclusive and accessible as possible. The Fluent and Inclusive design teams are in the same physical design studio here at Microsoft! #A5We also work to make sure all of the controls and patterns that we build into the platform are as inclusive and accessible as possible. The Fluent and Inclusive design teams are in the same physical design studio here at Microsoft! #A5— Joey Pitt (@jpitt) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
When will Fluent Design be applied to the OS?
We've incorporated some elements and we're working on more. We'll be talking more about the specific updates coming to Windows soon during our BUILD conference May 7th-9th: https://t.co/LyCNxlEjpgWe've incorporated some elements and we're working on more. We'll be talking more about the specific updates coming to Windows soon during our BUILD conference May 7th-9th: https://t.co/LyCNxlEjpg— Mike Jacobs (@MikeTheSnowbean) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
We've been working with the Windows shell team on some awesome new #Fluent features coming this fall. #WindowsInsiders can see some of this work now. #Sets and #Timeline - https://t.co/Uixa2FQbOL #A6We've been working with the Windows shell team on some awesome new #Fluent features coming this fall. #WindowsInsiders can see some of this work now. #Sets and #Timeline - https://t.co/Uixa2FQbOL #A6— Joey Pitt (@jpitt) April 20, 2018April 20, 2018
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Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl.
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I need that pixel border G O N E
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Either make it thick like 8, or drop it entirely. 1px looks... not very Fluent. ;)
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Agree! They have to get rid of it
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Oh man, this^!!!
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And... almost all of the answers boil down to "See us at //BUILD/!"
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I just hope they will be able to achieve what Google did with GMD. I seriously doubt that looking at the history of over commitment, under delivery of Microsoft. I am on the pessimistic side coz at least they could have develoved FDS at once, and rolled out slowly to different apps just like Google did. IMHO even they are not sure where they want to go and what they want to do.
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Andromeda
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Nope, cancelled for retrenchment.
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i love the idea of Fluent designs, and had hopes that MS would take it somewhere, but I seriously have no faith in MS to do anything anymore, so meh. great, lets see what really happens...
likely they will sprinkle some here and there and then trash the idea. -
Well they did say it would come in stages.
and technically were still in wave one of 6 that we know that there working on from build 2017 -
Would be nice to have a more overall more consistent design across windows. It's still very patchy in design in many areas, a dab of fluent here, windows legacy there, a bit of metro here, windows 10 modern there. Still feels messy after 3 years.