Real Talk: Webflow's New Layout UI
2024 ж. 22 Мам.
14 506 Рет қаралды
There's a lot of talk out there with Webflow users - a ton of opinions going around about what works (and what doesn't) regarding Webflow's latest overhaul to the Layout controls in the Webflow Designer. In this video, we'll break down the most common responses and address them.
I’m loving this real, unfiltered talk and couldn’t agree more!
Tim!
Tim in the building!
Tim ❤
Not even a webflow user but this is a really refreshing way to hear about product design decisions
I've been away from Webflow for a while and have to relearn everything again because of all the changes. And I LOVE what you all are doing!!! Keep up the fantastic work everyone!
We all felt the initial resistance that comes with the new UI, if we're honest, but as you said, being comfortable is not all there is. Seeing Webflow's commitment to iteration while shipping new features regularly, only makes me more confident in the platform. Well done guys
Opened webflow after a week and saw new layout. Straight up came here to check if you uplaoded anything XD YOU ARE THE BEST AND HONESTLY THE MOST AMAZING TEACHER I EVER HAD
I had no idea people hated this new design lol, that's absolutely shocking to me. Great rebuttal, I learned a ton here
I remember your tutorials on webflow university with great joy
Loved it from day one. So happy for all the stuff you guys are pushing recently. ❤🎉
Beautiful my guy! So clear, concise and accurate. Great to find you with your own channel, looking forward to digging into past videos :)
This video was so well organized and easy to understand. I feel the exact same way about this change.
Love this - as an early stage tech startup that has our entire experience hanging off a unique UI/UX, seeing how established companies manage change is fascinating, We struggle with the whole words vs icons mentality and trying to not clutter an interface. I often look at Miro (where everything is an icon) and we've been headed that way - but now every icon needs a tooltip and an explanation (especially for a new user that is trying to figure out wtf our tech actually does). Lots to think about here!
A fantastic update in my eyes. Using Webflow since more than five years it makes working with layout faster, easier and more precise. And self-explanatory. Danke! Btw: Your video tutorials are great beyond comparison.
Exactly! I was actually waiting for the update to be released since I saw their sneak peek video. It was so cool to see how intuitive it is
I really appreciate the new Webflow UI layout. It was great to hear from about Webflow; I loved the real talk approach. Hopefully, others will enjoy it too. Thank you so much for considering my request.
Thanks for the helpful explanations. You're making good points. Still not sure about the words instead of icons (FLEX etc.), but I might change my mind when I used it more often.
Great job on this man. I think you (and your team) are the best instructors. Please keep it up. :)
How to defend a product you love and believe in with empathy 101. Love the angle you decided to take.
What a wonderfully honest and candid video.
How did I not know you had a channel?! Glad I got recommend it. Looking forward to more!
Incredibly thoughtful video, thanks!
Very well spoken McGuire. I love hearing your own thoughts on Webflows new changes.
Where did this channel appear from so suddenly? This is great stuff Webflow. At first I was caught off guard by the change , but after a while I understood it.
Indeed, Webflow is not for everyone and it is not easy to build a website, but a powerful tool for raising the bars of web dev. Thank you, McGuire, gonna use these insights in cracking my next interview. :D
You sound angry, I love it! And also the update is AWESOME!
The two examples mentioned here strongly illustrate why I never embraced Webflow. From the outset, I was captivated by the concept of Webflow, but as soon as I began experimenting with it, I frequently found myself overwhelmed by the abundance of options presented as icons. This approach led to confusion; I would have preferred a direct mention of "flexbox" rather than encountering obscure icons. Such clarity would be intuitive, allowing me to know precisely where to click to achieve a flex display, eliminating the need to consult tutorials or spend excessive time pondering over it. I am now thinking of giving it a try again, wonder what else what changed. I'm now contemplating giving Webflow another chance, curious to see what other changes have been implemented.
This is how i communicate with my clients and they respect me for it. Wish more software companies tried honesty for a change.
Icons + text is definitely gold!
Would be cool if webflow gave tutorials on how to use the new interface to create more beautiful designs that previously would have been more difficult to pull off.
Wow! I wasn’t aware many people didnt like the new layout! 😂😂 webflow is an expert in dropping jaws!! I mean the amount of creativity that every webflow layout brought into the market just blows your mind everyyy single time! What I really would love to see from webflow is more love towards the e-commerce platform… i know headless frameworks are now out there but still…
Am I the only person who barely noticed the change? It was so intuitive, maybe because I am used to the 9-block from Figma, that I didn’t even blink
yeah same
You’re not the only person.
Yes, wish they would have the zoom out dashboard like figma
@@writersnoise Framer has an open canvas style workspace - it might work for you
🤝 The ice cream sandwich and waffle iron icons will be missed, but that’s ok in the name of progress!
Thanks for this McGuire! ❤
McGuire over here just giving quality relationship advice. LOL in all seriousness, these are very thoughtful and grounded points. Thanks for sharing.
Loved this video. I always appreciate proper product UX explanations when making new changes. I also liked the 1,2,3,4 format you consistently used for Webflow at the beginning of a video. By the way, nerd question: Have you always used a teleprompter (also in Webflow)?
Hey, it's Espinosa! Webflow Template Designer Extraordinaire! Great question. I've used a teleprompter since I was 9 or 10, but in videos like this with not a lot of time to prep, I'm referencing notes and questions on paper, too.
To be honest, for me at least, this was the most refreshing change done recently by webflow. As someone who uses Figma all the time, it has become much more intuitive and easier to use. Perfect job on this!
The InDesign burn 😂👏
I couldn't agree more. But without all of those arguments. I still love ❤the new ui more than the previous one
“A lot of perfectly valid opinions even if those opinions are wrong. Here’s my opinion” 😂😂
Looks like I am 1 month late to the 🎉 party!... But it's not too late. I'm glad to be a part of your new beginning.
Love this!!!!!
Are you responsible for the instructional design style on the old Webflow tutorials? I am an experienced technical writer. The way you approach chunking and summarizing is the best I've seen in a long time. Much better than narrative free-form livestream-style training.
Thanks for your kind words! Yes, that’s me plus the very talented team at Webflow!
@@mcguirebrannon I knew you were at least the on-screen talent, but kudos to the instructional design. Shared it with my director and team.
I l love the new UI actually, I wish they would put more user testing in the Rich Text Editor. My clients constantly struggle with it and the shortfalls.
Masterclass in design decision decision making
I believe we humans are reluctant to change in the beginning but then get used to it. Btw great stuff!
People need to keep future new users in mind, too. We're used to the icons (rather than text), but there will be many more new users who won't know those icons at first. They will understand the text. And obviously Webflow cares, tests, and listens 😂
I think you need to add the zoom out feature like figma and framer dashboard, makes it much easier and faster to work on the project
Amazing breakdown! If only this guy could do this professionally for Webflow. But I could not agree more. This UI is objectively better - but with most things, the loudest voices are often the minority.
McGuire for president. Well spoken dude right here.
Change helps us grow.
the tackle on Framer at the end of the video
II have built a lot in Webflow and like the new layout panel.
Right there with you, but more importantly, is that a Gorn in your KZhead photo?
Agree with every word
As someone who spent the first 8 years of my career as a Flash developer I can say with certainty that in technology the only thing that stays the same is that will always change. Appreciate the real talk and FWIW I thought the changes made sense, keep up the good work.
I was gonna complain to webflow abt the new ui but now im convinced its better
I actually love the new UI updates.
Right there with you. Definitely some friction for me at first, but that's expected from a guy who's been using and teaching some variant of button-based flex controls since 2015. But totally worth it.
I love the new UI
Best Voice ever.
I do agree with everything said.. I like the new layout… I’m just still confused as to why on earth haven’t they come out with CMS powered sliders… so many great use cases as to why it would be great… and yes I know you can make your own… but it would be better if Webflow finally got around to it
The power of Webflow is inseparable from your sermons Bro
Bro... do you mind if I do a Brazilian version of that? Because, bro.... it has many great concepts about good and REAL UX Design, that I'd love to do something in the same line, for my small audience! :) long time no see, btw. Spending some time creating! :)
The world’s least challenging game of tick tack toe. I’m dead.
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Whether Henry Ford said that or not, the principle remains: most people are happy with what they have, but if they stick with it they will eventually be obsolete. As a user since 2015, I'm definitely slower with the new UI-- but I'm hopeful that this will delay my obsolescence.
No matter how logic and real you get there will always be room for "smart" designers who can't handle change. love this video it just makes sense
Shoutout to InDesign
I promise I haven't watched official update video
Yes to all of this. But I'm still surprised that Webflow could get the new logic of their color picker and variables so wrong, so hard (even their support had trouble explaining it). 2 steps forward, 1 step back. And they didn't communicate it or explain it proactively. If the customer can't understand the design *after* you've explained it to them, that's bad design.
The new layout is much more intuitive - at least for ppl like me who use Webflow sporadically
Peakaboo - McGuire is back 🎉
I had given up on Webflow (for Framer) because of the UI. This might get me back.
This guy's got a lot of options on Webflow. (But also, Webflow is still great.)
I love McGuire
Like the new UI it is better
It's like when Formula 1 changed their logo. All the die-hard fans were freaking out. What was wrong with the old logo, why did it have to change? Needless to say, the new logo is in a different league in terms of its freshness, uniqueness, and functionality.
hot take. McGuire for President?
If there is nothing more important than layout, then why hide so much of it behind confusing dropdowns. The gap slider is also a sign of something not though-out. I'm not saying nothing was improved but some things where a disimprovement for sure.
Progressive disclosure is all about surfacing the most common pro features, and adding quick escape hatches to get at the secondary stuff that’s used less frequently. Figma does this, Apple does this, so does Maxon and Procreate and Autodesk and Adobe and Microsoft. Creating a different interface than we’re used to doesn’t by definition make it worse; it just makes it different. Exposing every CSS layout property would take about 15 full panel scrolls in the Style panel. Having said that, I’d love to see what thoughts/mocks you might have here for a layout that solves for these complexities for existing users and new users who are collaborating on this platform - there’s lots of ways to approach it, but in the end, the one that improves things most for both existing and new users of a platform is probably the one that should be in production.
@@mcguirebrannon Appreciate your response. I understand design patterns, and I see the difficulty Webflow has in trying to cater to different user groups. I also don't mind change, and I can live with decisions like hiding the "reverse layout" button/icon in a dropdown-split into multiple ways to reverse it... But please try to justify the sliders. If I remember correctly, you used them yourself in some educational videos, and for that, they get the point across. But for actual usage, they are of no use. They have random increments, are imprecise, and have weird ranges. And now we have this gap slider that just soaks up prime real estate. Am I nitpicking? Maybe. I just wanted to push back a bit on the notion that the WF product/design team is infallible. I like your videos, by the way. You are an amazing educator and communicator.
@@mpl1065, thank you for your kind words. I'm a bit confused about the slider question - although maybe we're talking about a different part of the UI. If you're talking about the sliders that control flex gap and grid gap, they seem pretty straightforward: slide the thing to control flex gap and grid gap. I don't think the increments are random; they should snap to 4px increments by default. This is the precise standard Apple.com uses in their flex and grid gaps (24px in most tiles), and the same standard Stripe.com uses in their gaps, too (they use variables but set normal to 8px, medium to 24px, large to 32px, etc.). 4px increments are very standard for this kind of thing. But of course you can always enter literally whatever, because it's a text input field. And you can always unlock so you're not controlling row/column gaps at the same time, although I'd point again to the vast majority of grid-based and flex-based layouts having equal gaps on the top and bottom.
As Seth Godin in another universe would say, "kick rocks buddy, this isn't for you."
1) Agreed 2) Agreed 3) Agreed 4) Agreed. But… why do bog changes like this occur in the middle of a customer build? Why not give me the opportunity to move to the new layout and option between projects? That'll be all. K, thnx, bye…
The way so many apps handle the icons to convey meaning is awful. I've used these apps for years still have to hover over things. All of these changes are based.
People don’t like changes. It doesn’t matter if they are good or bad (I think the new UI is great!). They just don’t like them
How do you have the relationship with Webflow to leave then do reviews on their product from an employee to an influencer and still have the great relationship with them. Do you still think Webflow will be a practical solution in a few decades, can these concepts be simplified, very broad question. I agree that layout and the web leads to so many variations of knowledge studies... I feel like this type of creativity only comes out of America
If webflow got a free flow canvas like framer or figma has, id ditch framer in a heartbeat and i wouldnt bltch about sidepanel tools. And If figma became a nocode platform like framer or webflow, id ditch both.
I am confused and I don’t understand the UI no more 😢 I think this is real worse and I don’t like this lack of ability to decide fore myself if I want ore don’t want this changes. Someone just decided this for me and now I have to live with it and pay for something I don’t want to accept.
“Obvious always wins.”
When i first saw the UI i thought what the fuck did they do now?, but at the end of the day its your guys's business and im not incharge of how you do things, i the customer must always adapt to your software, not you to me.
To be fair, I don't think it always has to be that way. Look at the rollout for Windows 8 - a totally new touch-focused UI, designed largely in a fear-based response to the success of the iPad. Users revolted, and Microsoft very quickly designed and shipped Windows 8.1 to address the (very valid) concerns over the touch-based interface being clunky and obnoxious when using a normal mouse/touchpad. My point is: sometimes customer feedback means the business needs to adapt the software to meet the needs of the customers. But in this case with Webflow, the new UI already does this, and it does it ridiculously well.
If it ain't broke...
nah that’s not how this works.
If you let the world by people that always thinks this way, we're never gonna move forward an inch
How do you know you are in the right point in tech, web design history? You must feel so priviledged
Bang on!
A pause button