Facebook’s latest design change officially became available worldwide today (Dec. 15). A more drastic shift than what users have seen in the past, “Timeline”, as it is called, will officially be implemented by Dec. 22.

The concept is a timeline of the user’s life and major events, as recorded by photos, status updates, places, life events and more. Unlike the ever-changing “Profile”, the Timeline will more easily identify major life events.

“With timeline, now you have a home for all the great stories you’ve already shared. They don’t just vanish as you add new stuff,” wrote Samuel Lessin, product manager at Facebook, on The Facebook Blog.

The design of Timeline adds a level of personalization, with a “cover”. The cover is an image displayed at the top of the user’s Timeline.

“The first thing you’ll notice is the giant photo right at the top. This is your cover, and it’s completely up to you which of your photos you put here,” Lessin wrote.

With Timeline, users can glide through their Facebook history going back to as far as their birth. Along the way, big events, as decided by the user, will be shown, like becoming vegetarian, or getting engaged.

“As you explore your timeline, you may see stories that you want to feature, like your graduation or the day you bought your first car,” Paul McDonald, engineering manager of Timeline, wrote on The Facebook Blog.

Within seven days, the profile as 800 million users have come to know will be obsolete, and Timeline will step in.

Early access to Timeline can be requested here.

Photo: Courtesy of Facebook Timeline.