UI Trends in 2022
Over time, the importance of UI is increasing and due to this, there are a lot of changes happening in the UI world. A lot has happened in 2021 in terms of UI. UI elements such as dark mode, unique illustrations & designs, storytelling, and bold typography were the highlights of 2021. In this article, we will discuss the key elements of 2022.
Use of illustrations
Any type of illustration 2D or 3D, custom illustrations or doodles give a very friendly and minimalistic environment which boosts a better user experience. Illustrations make your page stand out. Usually, illustrations come with some motion designs and motions usually grab the attention of users and explain what the company is offering in one glance (in just some seconds). Moving elements and animations make users curious, inviting them to interact further to see what happens next. There are many free resources available for the designers to get these amazing illustrations and make your pages lively. 404 and page not found illustrations are also very common.
Micro interactions are key
To make the page stand out, the use of micro-interactions is very common and these micro-interactions play a vital role in creating great user experiences and they keep the user engaged. Micro-interactions provide a more intuitive experience. One of the trendy micro-interactions is custom cursor interaction which occurs with the movement of the cursor and creates lively, interactive, and fun results.
Example : codewave.com
3D is everywhere
3D has been here for many years, but over time, it is gaining importance. One of the most practical ways of implementing 3D into a digital product is through e-commerce. As the market gradually shifts into the online world, brands find clever ways to market their products. With the power of easy-to-use photo scanning technologies like Polycam, everyone can create quality 3D scans of their products in no time. It is also very popular to use 3D elements in websites and mobile apps these days.
We are not secured in the 2D enclosure any longer. Presently, we have more ways of introducing UI than ever before.
Some examples :
Bold Typography (bold & Simple)
Each year, font trends are changing and emerging. Because even the most brilliant message can look dull if the appropriate font isn’t used, fresh approaches to typography are what give our words new life.
Web typography is getting bigger & bolder, especially for land pages. Bold typography is a very good way to grab the user’s attention. It makes your page stand out and demands the user to read it.
Some examples of bold typography are:
Dark Modes
Dark mode has been around, in one form or another for a long time but now more apps and sites are featuring dark modes. The dark mode gives a stylish and modern look. There are tons of other great reasons to use your dark mode feature. For instance, it can help improve the battery life of devices and help reduce the blue light that keeps our brains awake at night.
From UX’s point of view, dark mode enhances readability. It reduces screen glare and saves the battery. It also helps reduce eye strain as well keeping your eyes safe from prolonged screen usage.
Some examples of dark mode:
Visible Grid
Another most popular UI trend is the visible grid. Before becoming a trend, the grid was used to be commonplace in the web designs division for a long time. However, in 2021 things changed, designers used to keep the grid barely noticeable, while today thick lines are used to make the designs more attractive. The main benefit of a visible grid is that it makes big amounts of data look well-organized and the minimalistic & vivid block pattern of elements ensures a faster scanning process.
Neumorphism
Neumorphic design is a visual trend that has become a popular aesthetic choice for contemporary software, websites, and mobile apps. Neumorphism is a combination of flat design and skeuomorphism. It is a very precise design style utilizing features, shadows, and layers. These elements help in achieving a soft 3D look.
Some examples of Neumorphism:
Design Systems:
Design systems bring discipline to the design world. With time more and more companies are more concerned about making their design systems. Design systems provide us with reusable components & thus save a lot of time for designers.
There are different open-source and popular design systems like Material Design, Ant Design, Atlassian Design, Uber Design, Apple Human Interface guidelines, etc.
User Voice Interface:
Touchless interactions are gaining importance these days. Different methods of interacting with the devices like voice control and gestures are used. The reason for the popularity of these voice-based UIs is that they eliminate the need for type and thus save a lot of time. Some examples are Siri and Alexa.
Smooth Gradients:
Gradients are back in trend. Through gradients, we can blend different colors to add versatility to our designs. They can blend similar colors (e.g. different shades of blue or yellow) or completely different contrasting colors (e.g. purple, red, or yellow). And because they blend different shades so it gives a new refreshing and modern look in the end. We can do wonders with these gradients and the possibilities are simply endless. Gradients play a vital role in grabbing the end user’s attention.
Gradients are also being used in logos these days(e.g. Instagram, Microsoft Office).
Some examples of gradients :
Use of Pastel Colors:
Nowadays UI designers are adopting a hot trend of natural and pastel colors. Colors play a very vital role in the overall designing process as every color evokes some emotions and has an influence on overall moods…Pastel colors give a very refreshing, calming, and aesthetic look. Pastel gradients are also in use for the backgrounds in landing and web pages which give very dreamy and aesthetic looks.
UX/UI is evolving, just like other fields & new trends are continuously emerging. As UI/UX designers we should stay informed about the trends so that we can avoid outdated design experiences and come up with up-to-date designs.
