The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source Designing and building HEY (Interview)
Aug 7, 2020
Jonas Downey, the lead designer behind HEY email from Basecamp, dives deep into his mission to revolutionize email. He shares the innovative design philosophy that tackles long-standing email issues, emphasizing user-centric features like the filtered inbox and screener to prioritize important messages. Downey discusses the unique challenges of entering a market dominated by free services and how HEY focuses on quality over growth. With insights on achieving inbox zero and the importance of user feedback, this conversation is a delightful peek into the future of email.
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Hey's Origin
- Basecamp initially explored creating a successor to their CRM tool, HiRise, to address external communication challenges.
- They realized they needed to own the email service to fully implement their innovative ideas, leading to Hey.
The Email Problem
- Many people have different email usage strategies and don't find email inherently broken.
- Hey initially focused on the needs of high-volume email users like Jason and David.
The Imbox
- The "Imbox" in Hey prioritizes important and immediate emails.
- This naming choice was controversial, even internally.