UI/UX Trends You Need to Keep an Eye on

April 8, 2022

UI and UX are most often confused terms in the web & app design field. They are usually placed together in a single term, and thus when viewed from the surface they seem like describing the same thing. Generally, it is hard to identify a solid description of these two that doesn’t seem to be jargon.

What is UI?

User Interface design is a process used by designers to build interfaces focusing on software looks. It is aimed to create interfaces that are easy & convenient for the users. This term refers to the graphical user interfaces of other forms too- like voice-controlled or gesture-based interfaces.

What is UX?

User Experience Design is the process used to create products that give meaningful and relevant experiences to the users. It involves designing the entire process of acquiring & integrating the product, along with the aspects of branding, design, usability & functionality.

UI & UX

UI is more than the actual feature of the devices like screen and buttons, while UX is the term that deals with everything from start to finish. When comparing these terms, one focuses on the overall experience while the other focuses on visual & auditory interaction mediums. These two terms are interrelated, which often makes it difficult to fully understand them.

Even though they are linked, there are significant differences. UI deals with digital devices while UX deals with interaction with the product/service. Also, UX is about what a product makes you feel, while UI is more about how it looks.

UX/UI Trends

Post the Covid pandemic, the world has witnessed a rise in virtual and remote working cultures, and also a considerable change in UX/UI. The coming future is going to be no different. As for anyone, it is essential to stay up to date with the forever-changing trends.

Below mentioned are a few of the UX/UI trends to have an eye on for 2022.

Designs for Foldable Phones: Samsung is having a great phase in terms of its foldable phones. With this technology becoming better & popular, the efforts of making software to adapt them are also increasing. The market is not there yet, but with the dedication of Google, this trend can rise in the coming years. The designers need to get their hands on creating more adaptive screens for foldable devices which might be the new frontier for innovation & creativity.
Scroll-triggered Animation: Telling stories around a digital experience is a trend that will be immensely welcomed forever. As a crucial element, typography can build a strong visual hierarchy. Styling the text with different fonts will no longer be enough, copywriting is now considered one of the most important elements. Even though the style captures the user’s attention, it is the narration that will keep the users engaged.
Colour Palettes: The designers should keep in mind a dynamic color palette when it comes to UI. In the coming future, there is a high chance that such palettes would have a high chance of becoming a staple on Androids. Other than being a big redesign, the dynamic color palette allows us to customize the phone’s look completely. It comes with an easy setup, which suggests a suitable palette based on the wallpaper.
Build Your Own Website Platforms: No coding software is already thriving. It does require industry knowledge but makes it possible for one to build own website. Currently, many online visual editor’s sites allow users to build & launch their own websites. For this, the designers need to work on creativity & innovation. It is obvious that they need to keep updating on the latest trends & adapt them according to the platform.
Custom Cursor Navigation: It is expected to be in demand in the coming years. UI/UX can help in attracting the users and keep them engaged with the right usage of visuals & navigation. It should be designed in such a way that the flow of information is smooth.
Augmented Reality: It is the next big thing in the UI/UX trend which is to dominate. It is not only restricted to the gaming world but also has implications in other fields too. One of the expected fields where it can be implemented in medicine, where can result in telemedicine and online doctor consultation purposes.
Individual Learning: The Internet age is best for learning enthusiasts, which proves that learning is not confined to classroom walls. With this, online learning has become a mainstream trend in the recent past. UX is changing the learning scenario ensuring learners remain hooked in the long run. The gaps in individual learning are being bridged with a 360-degree immersive learning experience.
Air Gesture: It is a new mobile design trend that promotes the use of body gestures for performing an action. It is as simple as a user showing a palm gesture in front of the camera to capture a selfie.
3D Visuals: 3D visuals have been in use for a long time now, but were of no such use as they were a heavy load on user machines. However, things are to change as the modern front-end framework is to reduce the page load time significantly. With this, the designers can use the 3D objects more extensively in a much more detailed form. This includes shadows, animations, layer effects, and much more.
Personalization: It has always been the UX design element, but companies now are aiming for highly targeted personalized content. Personalized music on Spotify and movie recommendations on Netflix are a few of the personalized content examples. The future will be about hyper-personalized content.

Conclusion:

Is that all? Definitely not. It is just a handful of UI/UX design trends that can be expected to boom in 2022. Other than these, many exciting things are going to come in this field. To make the best use of it, it is important to understand the trends in detail. Only after that, you can align these with the business needs & user expectations.