After going over some of the best mobile and tech developments in 2018 and highlighting some of the mobile trends to watch out for in 2019, it is time to inform you of the major UX and UI trends that will evolve in this upcoming year which you should consider when building an app in the near future. Elements like typography, animations and custom illustrations, frameless screens, overlapping effects, personalized user experiences, time-saving features and voice-activated interfaces will all play a part in helping to evolve and develop user experiences and interfaces. Let’s take a closer look at these trends:
There are a lot of factors that can influence how users experience your app. Typography can play a role in making a good first impression and can set the tone for the overall user experience. So what exactly is typography anyway? It involves arranging and displaying type in a way that is legible and appealing. This includes elements like point sizes, line spacing and font types.
The different kinds of fonts and sizes play a large role in the level of readability of the content which then leads to a pleasing user interface. It is important that the user’s interactions with the app are productive. Text is a way to convey information to users. If the content is cluttered with different point sizes and illegible font types, the users can’t absorb the information in the app. And with that, they will give up on using it if the content is not pleasing to the eye.
Using typography in a certain way can build a strong hierarchy. With contrasting fonts, sizes and colours, it helps to organize the interface space, giving visual accents and making the screen more structured. The goal is to keep the content readable, scannable and tightly united with all other elements in the interface. Typography can affect the overall mood of the content which can be used to capture the user’s attention, stopping them from simply skimming or glancing over the information.
Custom illustrations, icons and engaging interface animations are all a part of the interactive experience in an app. They provide websites and applications with more personality, making them memorable, dynamic and appealing, enhancing the entire look of the screen. Custom illustrations are a way to show off a unique style and bring them to life setting the scene with originality.
Animations and custom illustrations add aesthetics and distinguishing elements on the screen. You can create animated switches, buttons, toggles, photos, GIFs and fonts which can present a pleasant experience for users. For example, creating an illustration or animation while a page is loading can make the wait time less dull and more appealing to the user.
As newer versions of Android and iPhone devices are released, UI designers are having to adapt to the frameless screens on smartphones so that consumers can have an exceptional user experience. The edges of newer mobile devices are now more rounded, exposing users to a unique high-definition experience with borderless displays and more screen space.
An overlapping effect is a UI design that involves the combination of colours, text and images resulting in a more structured and eye-catching interface which helps to provide a sense of space. Using a mix of bold colours, shadows and gradients mixed with transparency add a sense of realism and depth to the platform, creating this illusion of open space on such a small device with a variety of other content.
Having the best user experience means monitoring in-app activity to understand a consumer’s likes and dislikes and then providing them with app functionalities which allow them to personalize and customize different features according to their needs. For example, a food app could be customized to only show recipes with ingredients the user likes. There can be device sensors put in place to track how the users interact with the application and the problems they encounter.
There are many different ways a user experience can be personalized, encouraging them to continue engaging with the app. This could be adjusting the layout and the size and fonts based on the user’s age, increasing or decreasing sound on video and audio content based on past preferences and push notifications that are timed to be sent out when the user is most active with the app. Other personalized features could include access to instant assistance, better login memory for quicker app entry, offering promotions based on recent or past in-app purchases and providing content and data relevant to the user’s current location.
Impatience and short attention spans are two factors to consider when building an app. A common trend that will carry into 2019 is creating a clear interface and building features and adjusting navigation in a way that saves time for users. It will also allow for quick interactions to solve their problems and reduce friction. However, the trick is to find a way to be time efficient without putting the overall user experience in jeopardy.
Providing users with clear, intuitive and common navigation patterns are a step in the right direction. Using the principle of linearity can make the user’s app journey quick and simple. This concept allows for a linear flow which shows a beginning, middle and end to the app, completing one action in each step, helping to get tasks done quickly and efficiently. This design element orients the user from one operation to another.
Discreet pop-up suggestions can be added to give users tips on shortcuts when performing certain functions or using different features and removing unnecessary elements like buttons or toggles can further add to creating a clearer interface. The goal is to not overwhelm users, simplicity and minimalism are key, making only the important information the most visible to them.
In recent years there has been significant progress in natural language processing, and mobile apps have been taking advantage of it. Voice assistants like Apple’s Siri and Amazon Alexa have been very popular over the last year with answering simple queries like the weekly weather and completing small tasks like turning on the radio or setting an alarm. As we move into 2019, voice communication is another type of interactive design meant for boosting and enhancing app user experiences. This technology ultimately serves as an assistant to app users, helping them to simplify different operations.
We are excited to see how these trends will turn out in this new year. If you think there are more UI/UX features and components that will dominate 2019, let us know! We love hearing about innovative and cutting-edge ideas. For more on our design, development and launching processes be sure to check out our website.