Dialog
Android App
Timeline
2018–2021
The initial concept for this official Micro.blog Android application served as the foundation for ‘Dialog,’ which I subsequently launched on the Play Store in 2019. I used the Micro.blog website and existing first and third-party iOS apps as references to structure the app. For the Android version, I aimed to align with Google’s Material Design principles, which heavily influenced the initial components and patterns I incorporated.
Concept of Micro.blog for Android (2018)
I involved the community in the design process, and their feedback on the initial designs was positive. I had discussions with Micro.blog’s founder, and we decided that the app should possess its distinct identity, particularly if we intended to develop and release it to the public.
I named the application 'Dialog,' a blend of 'communication' and 'blog' to reflect its connection to Micro.blog's features.
I designed a straightforward logo with lined, shutter-style typography to convey a sense of reading. The colour palette was carefully chosen to distinguish it from the existing Micro.blog brand, employing a combination of complementary and split-complementary colours.
Android users of Micro.blog actively participated in the process, sharing their app requirements and preferences. The original design mocks were customized and recoloured to give Dialog a distinct identity. We introduced swipe functionality to enable actions like replies and marking items as favourites. Collaborating with an Android developer, we transformed my mockups into a fully functional app, which we launched in beta in 2019.
Dialog for Android (2018)
During our public beta phase, Google introduced an updated Material Design specification with theming capabilities, allowing us to align our app language with our brand. We made several significant changes before exiting beta:
- The app was rebuilt in Kotlin by our developer, Rupak Das, in accordance with Google's new Material Theming spec.
- We introduced multiple themes, including the highly requested dark mode, alongside our new default style.
- I revamped the app's identity to harmonize with the new themes and align with the direction of Google's Android apps.
- In preparation for the release, I designed and developed a comprehensive landing page featuring app features, screenshots, and more.
Dialog's updated brand (2019)
Production version of Dialog (2019)
Product landing page (2020–2021)
Results
Dialog maintained an average rating of 4.3 in the Play Store with over 800 installs. In April 2019, we made our code open-source. With the launch of the official Micro.blog Android app, we made the decision to retire Dialog in late 2021.