GoKawiilRelative Absolute One pixel represents the same number of words in every edition, revealing total growth.
Select a ribbon to see how that topic changed.
Attention by topic in the 1982, 1987, 1992, 2008, and current Apple interface guidelines — relative scale Each edition fills the same height; ribbon width shows topic share within that edition. Color describes how the guidance changed at each transition. Principles: held, 1982 to 1987 Design process: held, 1982 to 1987 Access & worldwide use: arrived, 1982 to 1987 Menus: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Windows: arrived, 1982 to 1987 Dialogs & controls: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Icons: arrived, 1982 to 1987 Visual system: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Input & behavior: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Language & help: held, 1982 to 1987 Principles: held, 1987 to 1992 Design process: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Access & worldwide use: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Menus: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Windows: held, 1987 to 1992 Dialogs & controls: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Icons: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Visual system: reshaped, 1987 to 1992 Input & behavior: held, 1987 to 1992 Language & help: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Principles: held, 1992 to 2008 Design process: held, 1992 to 2008 Access & worldwide use: held, 1992 to 2008 Menus: held, 1992 to 2008 Windows: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Dialogs & controls: expanded, 1992 to 2008 Icons: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Visual system: expanded, 1992 to 2008 Input & behavior: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Language & help: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Platforms & technologies: arrived, 1992 to 2008 Principles: held, 2008 to current Design process: dissolved, 2008 to current Access & worldwide use: expanded, 2008 to current Menus: held, 2008 to current Windows: reshaped, 2008 to current Dialogs & controls: held, 2008 to current Icons: reshaped, 2008 to current Visual system: expanded, 2008 to current Input & behavior: reshaped, 2008 to current Language & help: reshaped, 2008 to current Platforms & technologies: expanded, 2008 to current 1982 Principles 20% Design process 26% Menus 6% Dialogs & controls 22% Visual system 3% Input & behavior 17% Language & help 7% 1987 Principles 12% Design process 1% Access & worldwide use 6% Menus 23% Windows 14% Dialogs & controls 8% Icons 3% Visual system 6% Input & behavior 27% Language & help 1% 1992 Principles 5% Design process 6% Access & worldwide use 6% Menus 21% Windows 11% Dialogs & controls 17% Icons 9% Visual system 3% Input & behavior 14% Language & help 8% 2008 Mac 110,753 · iPhone 30,627 Principles 10% Design process 3% Access & worldwide use 2% Menus 6% Windows 12% Dialogs & controls 30% Icons 7% Visual system 3% Input & behavior 11% Language & help 3% Platforms & technologies 15% Today Principles 1% Access & worldwide use 6% Menus 6% Windows 9% Dialogs & controls 12% Icons 4% Visual system 10% Input & behavior 7% Language & help 2% Platforms & technologies 42% Attention by topic in the 1982, 1987, 1992, 2008, and current Apple interface guidelines — absolute scale One vertical pixel represents the same number of words in every edition; total bank height shows growth. Color describes how the guidance changed at each transition. Principles: held, 1982 to 1987 Design process: held, 1982 to 1987 Access & worldwide use: arrived, 1982 to 1987 Menus: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Windows: arrived, 1982 to 1987 Dialogs & controls: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Icons: arrived, 1982 to 1987 Visual system: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Input & behavior: reshaped, 1982 to 1987 Language & help: held, 1982 to 1987 Principles: held, 1987 to 1992 Design process: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Access & worldwide use: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Menus: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Windows: held, 1987 to 1992 Dialogs & controls: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Icons: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Visual system: reshaped, 1987 to 1992 Input & behavior: held, 1987 to 1992 Language & help: expanded, 1987 to 1992 Principles: held, 1992 to 2008 Design process: held, 1992 to 2008 Access & worldwide use: held, 1992 to 2008 Menus: held, 1992 to 2008 Windows: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Dialogs & controls: expanded, 1992 to 2008 Icons: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Visual system: expanded, 1992 to 2008 Input & behavior: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Language & help: reshaped, 1992 to 2008 Platforms & technologies: arrived, 1992 to 2008 Principles: held, 2008 to current Design process: dissolved, 2008 to current Access & worldwide use: expanded, 2008 to current Menus: held, 2008 to current Windows: reshaped, 2008 to current Dialogs & controls: held, 2008 to current Icons: reshaped, 2008 to current Visual system: expanded, 2008 to current Input & behavior: reshaped, 2008 to current Language & help: reshaped, 2008 to current Platforms & technologies: expanded, 2008 to current 1982 Principles 2,141 Design process 2,882 Menus 606 Dialogs & controls 2,370 Visual system 308 Input & behavior 1,890 Language & help 778 1987 Principles 4,385 Design process 367 Access & worldwide use 2,075 Menus 8,405 Windows 5,112 Dialogs & controls 3,167 Icons 1,083 Visual system 2,341 Input & behavior 10,102 Language & help 277 1992 Principles 3,725 Design process 4,492 Access & worldwide use 4,338 Menus 15,355 Windows 8,449 Dialogs & controls 12,779 Icons 6,890 Visual system 2,150 Input & behavior 10,395 Language & help 5,585 2008 Mac 110,753 · iPhone 30,627 Principles 13,597 Design process 4,463 Access & worldwide use 2,193 Menus 8,363 Windows 16,400 Dialogs & controls 41,921 Icons 9,797 Visual system 3,925 Input & behavior 15,510 Language & help 4,092 Platforms & technologies 21,119 Today Principles 1,141 Access & worldwide use 13,168 Menus 12,302 Windows 18,430 Dialogs & controls 25,039 Icons 9,074 Visual system 20,736 Input & behavior 14,831 Language & help 5,033 Platforms & technologies 87,705