Google AMP Stories
Founding partner in the development of Google's AMP Stories platform and lead designer for Time Inc. brands. Working closely with a dedicated developer, I built prototypes, tested features, and advised on functionality and structure to bring the new medium to market.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: DOUG PARKER
DEVELOPER: LEVI SUTTON
AMP Stories are visually spectacular, quick to load, and fully searchable.
AMP Stories can be viewed at any time and do not expire or disappear. The format is coded rather than assembled as a flat image or video; this makes them searchable and able to take full advantage of SEO. View them through any web browser from any device; no additional app required!
How do they work?
Each story is a collection of connected AMP pages. Each page is broken down into
layers of content. The layers are stacked on top of each other to create complex visuals
while maintaining the quick load time necessary for mobile connections.
Building something new is tough. What challenges did we face and how did we solve them?
'Fullscreen' dimensions are inconsistent across devices
We placed elements relative to each other rather than to the screen edges, allowing them to expand and contract to accommodate different dimensions.
WEAK Mobile connections CANNOT load large graphics
We split complex media into multiple layers with transparent backgrounds, resulting in a collection of smaller elements that load in faster overall.
Video files Load Slowly & Do not scale well
We created movement instead by layering still PNGs and animating each one individually with timed CSS animations.
STories can feel long when split into Tap-through pages
We overcame user fatigue by creating a captivating rhythm of simple, digestible pages interspersed with engaging, visually complex ones.
