Why design is the bacon of application development

Look, feel, and function earn Huetro for Hue a Windows Developer Award

Effective applications are often deceptively simple. “The best applications,” according to developer Niels Laute, “implement advanced features in a way that’s accessible to end users. It’s important for developers to create interesting experiences by leveraging good design because, in the end, what matters is whether users like them.”

This approach, and his philosophy that good design is much like bacon, in that it “makes everything better,” has paid off for Niels. His Huetro for Hue application recently won a Windows Developer Award for “Design Innovator of the Year.”

The application garnered praise for “applying Fluent Design System principles to create outstanding interactive aesthetics.”

UWP opens up the world to developers

“One the best things about being an indie developer is that I have the freedom to build what I want,” says Niels. “With a laptop and a good idea, I can reach thousands of people around the world and make a meaningful difference to their lives. A few years ago, you’d need an entire company to do that. Now, with the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), I can build an application, ship it, and get feedback within weeks.”

An accomplished UI/UX designer specializing in mobile application development, Niels began programming at age 18, shortly after graduating high school in his native Netherlands. “I came up with the visual concept for an app using Adobe Photoshop, but I wanted to really ‘feel’ how the user would use it. That meant digging into the code, which got me started as a developer.”

Eager to amplify his designs with deeper functionality, he began experimenting with Microsoft Expression Blend (now Microsoft Blend for Visual Studio) and, later, Windows Phone. “Windows Phone had a really specific design language that I liked, which triggered me to improve my skills as a developer. It scaled up my ambitions.”

Turning to the developer community

Today, Niels is fully immersed in UWP and has published a string of Windows Store applications including Huetro for Hue, which controls Philips Hue — a range of interactive lighting products.

“The award is great recognition,” says Niels. “I am also proud that my app has reached over 100,000 people and provided users with a better interface. I think they appreciate it when developers implement features in a way that feels natural — and the Fluent Design System offers a helping hand with that.”

Through Huetro for Hue, users can dial up dynamic lighting scenes via a bank of liquid-smooth color wheels. Pushing the envelope further, geofencing technology allows users to arrive home to a perfectly lit abode that reflects their moods. Whether you have a passion for home automation, or are just a tiny bit obsessed with sleek UX design, it’s well worth a try.

Collaborating with the Windows community — via Microsoft Feedback Hub’s Twitter — is the smartest way to polish an app, Niels says. “It’s inspiring to see a thriving community of developers and designers sharing new concepts. Something as simple as asking the community to design a screen for me can provide a fresh perspective.”

And, of course, there’s the #FluentFriday hashtag on Twitter. “A lot of designers post stuff every week. It’s really useful to keep your finger on the pulse, whether it be Windows controls, updates, or emerging visual design trends.”

Looking to an AI-influenced future

Niels is not resting on his laurels and is excited to take on a new challenge. “I definitely want to grow my current app portfolio and integrate some of the Microsoft technologies that were announced at Build 2018.

If you look at the developments in natural language understanding and processing, we can use voice-based technology such as Cortana to make it even easier to turn lights on and off.”

Going forward, he hopes to engage with AI and machine learning, which, he says, will allow developers to build deeper connections with users.

“One of things I really like about the Microsoft platform is that there’s room to do a lot of innovative, cool stuff. AI and machine learning are definitely key technologies that will experience a lot of growth in the next few years.”

Future versions of Huetro for Hue could potentially study how humans interact with technology. He envisions that this would allow the application to learn how individual users respond to specific colors, and deploy that data to trigger positive, healthy behavior.

“It’s really cool that Microsoft has made it so easy to harness the power of AI. With a few lines of code, we can implement technology that took years and years and years to develop. Which, when you think about it, is pretty incredible.”

Not that technology is the only thing that sparks his imagination. “I have two young children who keep me busy. They’re both familiar with Cortana and it’s inspiring to watch them experience technology that we think of as ‘advanced’ — yet they see as ‘normal’.

Watching them grow up with well-designed, engaging applications really motivates me to build products that look good and function beautifully.”

Learn more about Huetro for Hue in the Microsoft Store.