Case Study: How does Gmail use Grouping?

by William Hudson | | 8 min read
438 shares

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.

Show Hide video transcript
  1. Transcript loading…

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

438 shares

Open Access—Link to us!

We believe in Open Access and the democratization of knowledge. Unfortunately, world-class educational materials such as this page are normally hidden behind paywalls or in expensive textbooks.

If you want this to change, , link to us, or join us to help us democratize design knowledge!

Share Knowledge, Get Respect!

Share on:

or copy link

Cite according to academic standards

Simply copy and paste the text below into your bibliographic reference list, onto your blog, or anywhere else. You can also just hyperlink to this article.

Hudson, W. (2022, June 6). Case Study: How does Gmail use Grouping?. Interaction Design Foundation - IxDF.

New to UX Design? We're Giving You a Free eBook!

The Basics of User Experience Design

Download our free ebook “The Basics of User Experience Design” to learn about core concepts of UX design.

In 9 chapters, we’ll cover: conducting user interviews, design thinking, interaction design, mobile UX design, usability, UX research, and many more!

A valid email address is required.
316,529 designers enjoy our newsletter—sure you don’t want to receive it?

New to UX Design? We're Giving You a Free eBook!

The Basics of User Experience Design

Download our free ebook “The Basics of User Experience Design” to learn about core concepts of UX design.

In 9 chapters, we’ll cover: conducting user interviews, design thinking, interaction design, mobile UX design, usability, UX research, and many more!

A valid email address is required.
316,529 designers enjoy our newsletter—sure you don’t want to receive it?