Gmail sidebar shows the expanded Meet menu with options to start or join a meeting

Case Study: How does Gmail use Grouping?

by William Hudson • • 8 min read

485 Shares
Save

To say that Google Mail (Gmail) is popular would be a considerable understatement. In 2021 it had 1.8 billion users worldwide. More than half of 18- to 20-year-olds use it. While the majority of users (75%) access Gmail through mobile devices, a considerable number of the more than 300 billion emails sent and received daily are handled by the Gmail website. It’s worth considering how it’s designed.

Transcript

In this short clip, Alan Dix takes us through some of the grouping and ordering considerations for the main Gmail web page. Notice that while he occasionally refers to aesthetic alignment as nice to have, it is generally considered important to reduce visual complexity. So, while not strictly functional, it is more than just a nicety.

References and Where to Learn More

Christo Petrov, 52 Gmail Statistics To Show How Big It Is in 2021

Image

© Ingrid Figueredo and Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 3.0

Learn More in This Course:

Learn Design and AI From the Best

Get one powerful email each week, like 314,486 others.

Next email in:

What You Should Read Next

  • Read full article
    Don Norman: How You Can Rapidly Move Up by Thinking in Systems (Not Features) - Article hero image

    Don Norman: How You Can Rapidly Move Up by Thinking in Systems (Not Features)

    How can you move up in a company? Learn the fundamentals of business such as statistics, finance, accounting, marketing, supply chain and administration. How do you do that? One way to do this is to get a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. But Don says you can also learn them without go

    Social shares
    609
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    How to Find Your Voice: Speak with Confidence and Clarity - Article hero image

    How to Find Your Voice: Speak with Confidence and Clarity

    You’ve heard it before “It’s not what you said—it’s how you said it.” Your voice can change how people feel—even if your message doesn’t. If you vary your tone and pacing, you can make your ideas sound more trustworthy, exciting, or urgent. Harness this neuroscience-backed communication power and yo

    Social shares
    448
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    Avoid Death by PowerPoint: Structure Your Slides for Maximum Impact - Article hero image

    Avoid Death by PowerPoint: Structure Your Slides for Maximum Impact

    Your message is ready, your delivery honed. Now, how do you put that brilliance on slides? Discover how to structure your slide deck strategically so that it supports your message, whether you present live or share it for independent review.Whether you're pitching to stakeholders, leading a team mee

    Social shares
    420
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    Use Feedback as Your Superpower: Learn, Improve, Shine - Article hero image

    Use Feedback as Your Superpower: Learn, Improve, Shine

    Feedback: the word alone can inspire apprehension. Yet, it’s the lifeblood of great design. Whether it’s subtle critique or blunt rejection, how you respond to feedback matters more than you think. You can defend your design—or you can use that moment to learn, improve, and show you're the kind of p

    Social shares
    334
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    Overcome the Self-Doubt That Stops You from Being an Excellent Presenter - Article hero image

    Overcome the Self-Doubt That Stops You from Being an Excellent Presenter

    Do you doubt your ability to speak up, thinking you’re not the public speaking type? Many people do. But the truth is, most beliefs about presentation skills are simply wrong. Let’s break down these myths and boost your confidence—you’ve got far more potential than you think.In the next video, Morga

    Social shares
    308
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    Present Like a Pro: Become a Designer Who Leads - Article hero image

    Present Like a Pro: Become a Designer Who Leads

    Your ideas are only as powerful as your ability to communicate them. You can design the perfect solution ... but if nobody understands it, cares about it, or champions it? It goes nowhere. If you can master presentation skills, you’ll open new doors in your design career, access new opportunities, a

    Social shares
    315
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    Presentation Pitfalls and How You Avoid Them - Article hero image

    Presentation Pitfalls and How You Avoid Them

    You’ve worked hard on your ideas—don’t let simple messaging missteps keep them from landing. Make your brilliant ideas shine in every presentation by deftly sidestepping common messaging missteps, and give your hard work the influence it deserves every time.Morgane Peng, Head of Product Design & AI

    Social shares
    324
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    How to Change Your Career from Software Development to UX Design - Article hero image

    How to Change Your Career from Software Development to UX Design

    Most people believe that an aesthetic sense or a formal education in visual design is necessary to become a user experience (UX) designer. This perception unfortunately becomes an obstacle for software developers who want to switch their career to UX design.If you’re a software developer who wants t

    Social shares
    726
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    Design League Savings, AI Tutor, and Pricing Updates - Article hero image

    Design League Savings, AI Tutor, and Pricing Updates

    Rikke and I started IxDF in 2002 with nothing. We lived in a bamboo hut in Thailand with no investors, no safety net, and no plan B. We had a conviction that world-class design education should not be a privilege reserved for people who could afford a $15,000 degree.That conviction has never changed

    Social shares
    152
    Published
    Read Article
  • Read full article
    If You Don’t Fail, You’re Not Trying Hard Enough - Article hero image

    If You Don’t Fail, You’re Not Trying Hard Enough

    In some cultures, people never recover from failure, and Don Norman says this is wrong. In other cultures, failure is seen as a way to learn. David Kelley, the founder of design firm IDEO, once said, “Fail faster, succeed sooner.” Don says this is good, but encourages us to take it one step further,

    Social shares
    605
    Published
    Read Article

Top Articles

Top Topic Definitions

39% of Today's Skills Will Change by 2030

The World Economic Forum expects 39% of today's skills to be transformed or become outdated by 2030.

The good news is that jobs in UX / UI design and AI are among the fastest-growing professions globally.

Build Skills That Keep You Relevant

Privacy Settings

By using this site, you accept our Cookie Policy and Terms of Use.
Customize
Accept all

Be the One Who Inspires

People remember who shares great ideas.

Share on:

Academic Credibility — On Autopilot

Don't waste time googling citation formats. Just copy, paste and look legit in seconds.

Learn Design and AI From the Best

Get one powerful email each week, like 314,486 others.

Next email in: