Startup design was one of the many valuable Panels at Google Form

For the past 2 days I attended FORM, a design conference hosted by Google in San Francisco. I summarized a little of what I learned on my way home tonight:

1. Material design is just the beginning.

Material design is the first step into creating a cohesive experience ecosystem inside all Google products: this means a unified user experience across Google’s software and hardware initiatives. Whether you are checking email on Inbox, using the latest Chromebook or using products such as Nest and the self driving car, you will soon have a cohesive experience across the platform.

2. Google is becoming a design leader by supporting the design community, something it is doing as a team.

Whether it is Brynn Evan’s initiative to unite women in UX, or Google Venture’s support of design in startups, it was clear that Google doesn’t want to just create a set of design guidelines for others to follow. Google wants to engage the design community & contribute to the growth of design as a sustainable way to create great products. And it is not doing that as a top down approach, but rather their designers are pursuing individual initiatives to help other designers, which is pretty awesome.

3. Google has become as important as Apple in design leadership.

It is just silly to think otherwise. The rise of Android devices in the hands of billions of people is just one example. Google’s other projects are also highlighting the importance of experience design, industrial design and design thinking in creating innovative products. Just take the self-driving car, Nest or Google Express and it is easy to see how Google has fast become a powerhouse on all facets of design, from service to industrial to UX. Which brings me to my next and last point…

4. If Google is to change the future for the better as they are attempting to do, they will need more help from every design discipline.

Which makes putting in a conference such as FORM, supporting design community initiatives and increasing the profile of design a no-brainer.

It used to be that fresh grads out of design programs would think of Apple as the pinnacle of a designers first dream job. I bet you that Google now is very much in that conversation.