In April 2023, Safe Software announced a rebrand of both the company and FME, the data integration platform. We described it as a momentous event and you can read more about it in this blog article. The same brand had existed for 30 years and the rebrand introduced a bold new visual identity, coupled with a simplicity and humanity of message that spoke volumes about the growth in product offering and the people behind it.
The impact of this rebrand has been brought to our door again this month with the launch of FME 2024.0, the latest software release.
Shining a light on the UX (User Experience), the 2024 iteration of FME Form has a new visual identity, the biggest interface change in more than 20 years and unifies the product suite with company and FME brand aesthetic.
Bold, intuitive and free of unnecessary complexity, the FME Form authoring workspace environment has had quite the makeover.
Let’s take a look at some notable highlights:
Iconography
- a new icon system that uses logical colour choices and simplicity of action to help guide the user. In the Toolbar below the changes between FME 2023 and 2024 while subtle, do a tidy job of focusing the users attention.
- the minimalistic approach to design and colour is also applied to the Navigator with the contrast between the busy and colourful 2023 Navigator and its 2024 counterpart
Contemporary Canvas
- Bolder, contrasting colour choices that make it easier to view text elements against a lighter background
- Transformers, the building blocks of FME, responsible for carrying out any read/write functions or where they connect to applications and APIs are now highlighted
- Colour semantics remain unchanged – red still means incomplete objects or parameters. Colours from the same family are retained and symbols representing various concepts (including reading, writing, transformers and bookmarks) are preserved to ease the transition between versions
FME Form Canvas: 2023 (left) vs. 2024 (right)
FME Form and FME Flow in Harmony
As FME Form and FME Flow users we appreciate the improved visual consistency when moving between the applications
Safe Software’s meticulous attention to detail in the design is evident and we’re certainly looking forward to working with FME Form 2024.0 in building productive and visually elegant workspaces!
