Google designers element the continuing effort to revamp Fitbit app

What it’s good to know

• Google has overhauled the Fitbit app because it formally acquired the corporate in 2021, making it match consistent with Materials You design language.
• In an interview revealed to the Google Design web site, the Fitbit UX group defined the way it determined to adapt the Fitbit app to combine it with Google platforms.
• The designers share the thought course of behind the transition, which has spanned two years and remains to be ongoing.

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Google formally closed its deal to amass Fitbit roughly three years in the past, and it’s nonetheless working to combine Fitbit into its well being portfolio and bigger units and companies ecosystem. We will see the consequences of this undertaking in just a few methods, just like the Fitbit app redesign matching the Materials You design language. Nonetheless, we simply bought a uncommon take a look at the thought course of behind Google’s visible redo of the Fitbit app by means of an interview with the Fitbit UX group posted on the Google Design web site.

Whereas it is apparent that the brand new Fitbit app — which has been rolled out in elements beginning final yr — suits the Materials You theme, designers needed to begin engaged on the undertaking earlier than it was finalized. They began work two years in the past and leaned into the Mild and House artwork motion that originated in Google’s dwelling state of California within the late Sixties. 

“We knew there was momentum across the idea of ‘type follows feeling,’ we knew it was about personalization, and we knew it was all about you — that labored very well for celebrating the most effective of Google with Fitbit,” mentioned Mat Helme, a Fitbit product and model design lead. 

This strategy in the direction of design is how we bought the Fitbit app because it seems right this moment, with gentle backgrounds, wealthy colours, and a number of pastel shades. We will see the consequences of Google and Fitbit’s design preferences nonetheless directing app updates, just like the just-released Fitbit Sleep revamp. 

“Having Fitbit lean into rounded types and softer colours feels pretty distinctive, and the round type issue is a giant a part of how we design for that uplifting and compassionate feeling,” mentioned Judy Zhao, who’s a pacesetter of the Fitbit visible movement and methods group. “We’re in a position to do that as a result of we’re combining a number of worlds into one holistic well being journey expertise.”

Nonetheless, it is about extra than simply design. The designers at Fitbit additionally needed to make well being and health metrics out there in a means that was simple to digest. 

“We’re on a journey as a product group to grow to be much less about knowledge assortment and extra about providing you with perception and actionable info to take cost of your well being journey,” mentioned Fitbit UX Design Lead Sarah Wilson. In apply, Wilson says that this entails utilizing charts and textual content to clarify all of the health and well being jargon that may not be naturally understood by everybody. Going a step additional, Fitbit needs to make it simpler for customers to take recorded knowledge and apply it to make the best health and way of life adjustments.

That leads us again to the Google Pixel Watch 2, which has the round type issue to match Fitbit’s rounded design preferences. It additionally consists of the sensors required to supply the info Google needs to share in a easy means. So, it stands to purpose that the Pixel Watch — and its round type issue — is a giant a part of the Fitbit technique transferring ahead.