In building an app, user experience plays a vital role. The user experience extended by the app is central to its popularity and functionality. The user experience design affects the flow and feel of an app. The user experience elements work together to build an app’s interface and interact with it. With the pandemic years in the rear mirror, apps have gained a lot of importance for their utilities and services. As a central aspect of the app framework, User interface and user experience designs also affect how an app dispenses utilities.
The framework of an app is usually complex from the back end. However, the UX design and user interface retain simplicity to find it easy to use the app. The UX design is affected by customer insights and data analysis. Therefore, UI/UX design trends have kept changing over the years. In the year 2022, there will be newer trends in the arena.
The dominant UI/UX design trends in the market for 2022 are as follows:
1. Incorporation of 3D elements
For years, 3D animation and elements have been incorporated into high-end smartphones and tablets. People find 3D wallpapers and themes very exciting. However, apps have not fully utilized 3D elements in the UI/UX Design framework. There has been minimalistic use of 3D elements till now. However, as people start searching for more realistic user experiences from apps, incorporating 3D elements is a trend that will influence UI/UX Design this year.
The use of 3D elements overlaps with virtual reality technology to provide users with an enhanced experience. The use of 3D elements has faced problems like loading speed and complexity of the Design. However, with modern design tools and UI/UX Design services, the speed is improved by manifold. Therefore, the quality and incorporation of 3D elements in app design will increase in the coming year.
2. Animation
The use of animation has been around for ages. Moreover, the quality of animation speed and elements has also improved gradually over the years. From TV screens to app windows, animation has spread into multiple spheres to support the interactive nature of utilities. As humans, we search for interaction and real-life experiences in everything.
Without an interactive nature, it is impossible to capture human attention for a long time. Animation brings interactive quality to screens, both TV and phone. While animations are used to weave a story in images, these elements do the same for UI/UX design services.
The use of animation creates a brand story for an app and conveys its functionality in a novel way. The use of animation in minute elements within the app user interface makes a user happy. Animation elements ensure that the user does not feel like using a boring, dead app. The use of colors and animation infuses life into apps. With UI/UX Design updates, agencies add more advanced animations in the final output.
Also read: Tips To Improve User Experience Of Your Website
3. Dark themes
Today, most smartphone apps and general themes include dark themes. According to a preset timer, there are smartphones where the UI/UX Design switches down to a dark theme. The use of dark themes has become extremely popular. The dark theme is a break from the usual and monotonous white. Dark themes no longer come in only black. The dark color can be altered to other shades like deep blue, grey, etc. The dark theme option in apps gives the user a sense of control and novelty.
The choice of switching between themes is a part of UI/UX Design customization and gives an array of choices to the user. Darker themes are preferred because they look cool and are comfortable for the eyes. Dark themes with blue light filters are an option that people want to work with at night because they protect their eyes. Many people like to keep their apps in dark themes all the time. Keeping all this in view, the inclusion of dark themes in UI/UX Design elements is a trend that will remain in 2022. Apps will come with switchable themes and even provide newer theme options.
4, Abstract layout
The visualization or overall look of the app matters a lot for the app’s brand image. The UI/UX Design sews every design elements together to create the interface and layout. UI/UX Design companies are experimenting with design layouts to offer new layouts to grab user interest. A UI/UX Design agency is more likely to do an abstract design layout than the traditional one.
An abstract design incorporates elements and illustrations to create a cohesive, visually brilliant interface. With abstract designs, the app interface becomes more interesting and engaging. A UI/UX Design agency will increase its dependence on brainstorming on original ideas to create unique and abstract designs this year.
5. UX includes voice search
The popularity of voice search assistants and virtual personal assistants has shot up in the pandemic years. The virtual assistants have acted like companions for people who lived through years of isolation and restrictions. The use of voice assistants has ranged from conducting a simple search on browsers to ordering food, groceries, or even furniture. Voice assistants built into speakers and phones have acted like family members, serving conversations, music, or even jokes in the pandemic era.
Therefore, the dependence of people on voice search assistants has increased. UI/UX Design has started incorporating voice search and control from shopping apps to music apps. Voice control makes people feel like they can get things done on a mere command. Most of the time, voice control does not require any touch command from the user. Using voice abilities increases the convenience and speed of command execution from a user perspective.
Also read: What Are The Benefits Of Custom Mobile App UI/UX Design For Business?
6. Typography
Fonts and letter sizes have been crucial to the overall look of an app. Any UI/UX Design consultant will tell you how the font size and style bring the UI/UX Design together. The font size and type give the app interface and layout a unique characteristic that should align with the brand image and purpose.
In 2022, UI/UX Designers will pay more attention to font size and arrangement. The UI/UX Design will focus on typography to create novel designs and stitch a story. The clever arrangement of text and differing designs creates unique UI/UX Designs that tell a story very differently. Typography use creates a better flow for content and design elements too.
7. Designing for smaller gadgets
Today, the UI/UX Design consultant suggests designs for smartphones, desktops, and wearable tech gadgets. Small gadget wear with screens like smartwatches is becoming very popular among people. People now want apps that are compatible with these smart gadgets. The UI/UX Design also has to be altered to fit these small gadgets. The year 2022 challenges UI/UX Designers to incorporate design elements while retaining functionality for such small screens. The UI/UX Design of smart wear tech has a lot of room for improvement, and UI/UX Designers are trying to find new ways to revamp the sector.
8. Minimalist User interface
While the user wants a strong, feature-packed app, they also want simple interfaces that are clean and no-nonsense. Users want a lot of features packed into a small space. The minimalist UI/UX Design approach is the correct approach for presenting these features. Minimalist content is very popular because of its clever presentation and meaning.
Minimalist UI/UX Design gives an app a clean and organized look to the app interface. UI/UX Designers prefer the use of more icons instead of text. The preference for icons is because too much text can give a cluttered look to the app. For a digitally literate population, the user of text looks boring. Users want simple navigation controls to not have to search for something long. UI/UX Design also incorporates more 2D and 3D elements to heighten the quality of the content and not the quantity.
Also read: Importance Of UI/UX Design Services In App Development
9. Personalization
Personalization is a predominant trend that has extended over the last few years. With AI capabilities and machine learning, personalization of UI/UX Design in real-time will be easy. With personalization, the app developers offer users different experiences on the same app. People like to use personalized interfaces because they reduce the clutter and provide what they want.
With location data, health cycles, interests, clicks, and search history, the apps can provide a high level of personalization to the users. Shopping apps have already started providing personalized feeds for people depending on their search history and interests. Personalization benefits both the brand and the app user.
10. Mobile-first Design
The present scenario for app users is that people access all apps on the phone. Mobile phones have turned into mini laptops. Smartphone companies have also started to market phones as alternatives to bulky desktops and laptops. People prefer large storage and screen phones that support many apps and UI/UX Design. Earlier, most websites and apps were not completely mobile-friendly.
However, since users have shifted to mobile browsers and apps, websites and app UI/UX designers prioritize the platform’s mobile layout. This mobile-first approach emphasizes how an app looks and interacts with a user on a mobile screen. Mobile phone users depend on mobile apps for everything. From insurance plans to food delivery, from essentials to recreation, mobile apps are there for everything. Therefore, UI/UX Design services focus on improving user interaction on phones than other modes of technology.
11. Neomorphism
Neomorphism has evolved from skeuomorphism and changed into a completely new style away from flat designs. The style of Neomorphism depends on the color palettes used as inspiration behind the Design and not just the contrast between textures. Neomorphism relates to the color palette and selection that creates a combination. Through Neomorphism, a UI/UX Design consultant tries to provide a unique, interactive experience to users. Designers create new color combinations to relay a slew of emotions and feelings to the user.
The style plays with the softness or roughness of the color palette to create new interfaces and experiences. The style experiments with color, contrast, and shadowplay to create vibrant and deep designs in an app. Unlike skeuomorphism, the goal of Neomorphism is not to create something like reality. The goal of Neomorphism is to combine reality and digital designs to create something completely new for the user. In this way, Neomorphism enhances the novelty of UI/UX Design. In the year 2022, Neomorphism will gain importance even further.
12. Gestures
The use of gestures to give commands to a phone or app is a popular trend that high-end smartphones have started. The use of gestures in real life happens for different reasons. If the use of gestures for phone and app control will also increase, there may come a time when touch screens are no longer needed.
Gestures are taken as commands by advanced sensors that can trace the movement and decode it for the task program. The use of gestures, combined with voice commands, may replace touch in the next few years. As we move forward into a contactless era where the threat of disease looms, the use of air gesture sensing technology will take over as a trend. The incorporation of gesture identification and processing will also be part of the UI/UX Design trends.
UI/UX Design is a dynamic field that continues to evolve even in a matter of months. UI/UX Design also changes according to customer needs and wants. Another factor influencing the sector is the technology channeling into the sector’s output. The best UI/UX design companies create output according to the trends and create new trends for other companies.
Over the present year, UI/UX Design will become more interactive and streamlined to user interests and needs. Apart from these trends above, other trends will continue to affect the UI/UX Design arena with many positive developments. From visual storytelling to voice commands, many developments will take over the UI/UX Design sector in the coming days. A modern UI/UX Design agency needs to be aware of these trends and contribute to them. Even UI/UX Designers need to learn about and apply these trends to create designs that are at pace with the times.
