Behind the Scenes: Developing OS X and Longhorn

The SxSW2006 Behind the Scenes: Developing OS X and Longhorn panel explored the differences between Apple and Microsoft’s new operating system development process from a design perspective. Both of the panelists lead the design of each operating system and are now at Frog Design.

Apple’s OSX Process

* The original goal for OSX was not to change user interface. Apple had acquired Next and OS 8 was on its last legs, they needed stability and had a short timeline.
* Once into the process, the team realized they could get only 95% of the way to replicating OS8 and that Next had some great features that would be lost.
* The design team started exploring what it would be like to start from scratch and worked after hours on conceptual pieces (translucency, animation, visual design).
* At a two-day offsite discussing OSX development plans, the design team was asked to show their concepts as an inspiration piece.
* They were the last speaker to talk and showed animation, new visual design, 32-bit color, alpha channels, and Quicktime in the OS. Everyone in the room laughed. They had enough work to do without ANY UI changes.
* 2 weeks later, Steve Jobs called them OS design team into a meeting. At the time Jobs had no formal title, but he was talking to teams and cutting projects.
* The meeting with Jobs began with Steve calling them amateurs. He hated OS8 and thought they weren’t doing anything worthwhile.
* As the conversation progressed, the design team eventually talked about what we wanted to do and showed some ideas from their concepts. Jobs told them to them to prototype it. They worked day and night and built a demo that included the dock, animation, visual design, video player, and CD player (the start of Apple’s digital hub strategy).
* They spent a whole afternoon walking Jobs through the design. From that point on there was no doubt they would change the UI for OSX.
* For the next one and a half years the design team had weekly meetings with Steve. What he liked went in. What he didn't like had to be redone.
* During that time, Steve was still not an official employee -he didn’t even have a badge.