UI design is the first impression of a mobile application and is important because it connects users with a brand, and increases the ROI of the application. But the UX landscape is continuously transforming and new things are getting developed every day. UI design is not limited to just its looks. Application’s data architecture should combine with UI design guidelines that organize, structure and label app’s content sustainably and accessibly. Let’s see UI/UX design trends for 2022.
Those days were gone when mobile phones use small screens. Latest mobile phones has larger displays and hence can hold more content on their screens, also excellent for multitasking. But there are some complications with larger display: large screens shift the design’s interactive elements far away from the thumb’s natural movement. Lots of applications are positioning key navigation objects at the bottom because it is difficult to reach the screen’s top. Thus bottom navigation bar became industry standard for developers, and it helps users to get access to basic app features in just a single click. Bottom navigation bar is developing into bottom sheets. These bottom sheets develop on a swipe-up gesture, that makes options accessible.
Though voice assistance is not a new UX trends, but it is taking shape today. UX design for voice interfaces was screen-first, means our first and main point of contact was the screen. Hence, voice user interfaces can fall short, by being glitchy, failing to integrate with the app, or incurring delays of when person should speak, to name a few. Now, there is more attention placed on voice interface and use of voice programs. Hence, there is need to create a smooth experience between user and voice application or software. Also, there is a need to ensure that experience is thought of, not only from a screen-first approach, but also voice-first or hybrid of the two.
These days, people uses lots of devices. As per the statista’s report, there will be 6.58 network-connected devices per around the world. User’s way of data accessing is also changing. Hence, designers need to think out of the box because mobile and desktop categories is not sufficient any longer.
Knowing the user journey is more beneficial and result in creating a device-agnostic design. With this, users will get a seamless UX regardless of device.
These days, real physical buttons are no longer used in each mobile. By freeing more screen spaces, product designers can give users more data. When gestures are used instead of digital buttons, all the focus goes to the content. Liquid swipe effect is taking the gestures’ use to next level.
Personalizing user experience is a trend. Websites and apps are personalizing the experience to every individual, for instance, providing personalized suggestions or meeting accessibility guidelines. Main aim for UX designer is to create a design and product that closes the gap between user expectations and experience.
Personalization focuses on localization, demographics and behavioral data. With such information, UX designers can create a great personalized experience to what users expect, need or want.
Emotive interaction design is about creating experience that brings up emotional response in users. With such experiences, users build a deeper connection to the app or website and have overall more positive and memorable interaction. They provide encouragement and support to the user. Some other effects and animations create experiences that are similar to human interactions.
Brutalism seems to be a counter trend for designs that includes gradients, shadows and smiling 3D characters. It embraces flat design, strong outlines, contrasting colors, bold typography and real/life photography. But it forgoes main defining factor- the seemingly absent grid. Now, it uses all other traits, but conforms to standard layout, mostly seen in other design styles. Recent examples of brutalism is Spotify wrapped.
Now, Glassmorphism is everywhere. There’s a blurr background, semi transparent objects such as cards, watercolor, spheres that looks like glass and so on. From native elements in Mac OS Big Sur and Windows 11, to apps, glass inspired effect is here to stay.
This trend seems to fit well into era of Metaverse, VR and hologram interfaces. Designer are happy about the new possibilities that the virtual worlds have to offers. Glowing, vibrant colors, round shapes, hologram-looking textures are in trend. Also, it is widely used in various crypto-space, as a way to show how futuristic those interfaces are.
Typography rules were strict 10 years ago. Now it seems that, you can do whatever you want with headers and paragraphs. Mix fonts with shapes, emojis, photos, put a texture on it, select a font that is sophisticated in its form and experiment with the grid. It results in intriguing, eye-catching effect.
3D is evolving into a simplified version of what we already saw. 3D illustration and 3D UI elements is claymorphism. The 3D objects are like a object made from clay, with inner and outer shadows to create depth, but in different way that neumorphism.
Chatbot UI design must not only deliver data to end-users. So as to process every query, chatbots must be evry simple to use and manage with all kinds of variations, languages, emotions, phrases and text structures. To improve the UX, you can use various avatars, voice that suits your brand personality, response buttons and failure message design. You must offer some interaction ways- ready made conversation flow or free-text typing with auto-complete function.
Metaverse is a virtual world where users connect to each other through digital devices and environment by wearing VR device. Facebook has launched VR remote work app, in its effort to ultimately create a “metaverse” environment. New Horizon workroom app allows users to hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves.