“Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.” – Joe Sparano
As we observe the sparkling effect of design meeting technology, the undisputed role of a good design element in any IT solution is emphasized. Be it UI/UX design, web design, graphic design - the design element in any project acts like a skeleton to the success of the project. A good, flawless, user friendly design acts as a primary building stone to a robust and customer friendly application.
As newer concepts enter the design market, trends show a variations in tools, technologies, architecture, framework – all aiming towards a single goal – attaining utmost customer experience.
Here are certain statistics that showcase how designing is so key to a successful venture:
- 73% of businesses invest in design to help their brand stand out against the competition
- Web pages, that load in 2.4 seconds had a bounce rate of 12.8%, whereas the pages that load in 3.3 seconds experienced a bounce rate of 20%
- 67% of small businesses think that the importance of graphic design to business success will grow exponentially in the next five years
The cult of designing servicesform the core of offering the best of client experience and niche designs. A lot has happened in 2020 and the coming year is sure to showcase more, which will be an interesting view, with respect to different design elements. Let us enjoy the confluence of technology and design components rule the world:
Key Design Trends That Will Revolutionize 2021
WEB DESIGN TRENDS
- Interactive and Responsive Websites Are in Demand
The new normal is all about interaction between the user and the web design elements. Responsive web designs are a must now. In the world ruled by multi-faceted devices, it is essential to have a web design that can function seamless only any of those devices. Yes, it does call for a lot of efforts and expertise, but the coming year shall see users demanding this from designers. Increased number of interactive features shall make the web designs interactive, secure, and easy to comprehend.
- Simple Yet Smart Web Design is the New Normal
The trend of an overly designed and cluttered web design is gone. The trend has moved towards offering users a simple yet smart web design. A design that offers a seamless user experience without users getting confused in navigation, understanding, and performing relevant actions. The year to come shall see least of showy features that would tend to side-line the main concept of the website. The entire concept of showing the website is towards a minimalistic approach, of course, not letting go of any single important feature.
- Dark Mode and Low Light Are Trending on the Web
Websites are now being designed more with the dark mode and low light concept. Owing to multiple advantages attached, this is a rising trend. Organizations prefer this because of the low contrast background that is easy for the eyes, offers less strain in terms of vision and grasping. The coming year shall showcase more of black and white designs, it seems. Websites, now have dual options of changing from light to dark and vice versa, depending upon their requirements.
- Horizontal Scrolling is Getting Popular Amidst Web Designers
Today’s modern-day websites have taken a little different stand by going in for horizontal scaling rather than the traditional approach of vertical scrolling. Focussing towards offering a different experience to users, this approach has been appreciated by users and hence increasing number of websites are using horizontal scrolling. Especially when it comes to showcasing a variety of options for a category, illustrations, photographs etc., it works best. It is a good visual treat to see all options on a single screen go, without having to move the screen up and down.
- Asymmetric Layouts Are Being Wanted More
Earlier, websites were created using grids with a focussed structure and basic elements. This was good but became routine for users over a period. Now comes the trend of asymmetric design to offer an element of uniqueness, fun, creativity, and stability. This is not an easy task, as all the asymmetric components need to map properly with the design layout showing complete symmetry yet offer a different look. But this is essential as it offers users a different perspective of looking at the website. Users are now keen to see design elements on websites with a little different look and the traditional approach was quite monotonous.
UI/UX DESIGN TRENDS
- Microcopy and UX Writing isin Great Demand
The new concept - Microcopy is the small information or instructional text implementing on various media like forms, button labels, error messages, tips, popups etc. It functions as an immediate assistant to users, in small ways, while the users are browsing the portals. As in the last year, Microcopy will continue offering its key advantages such as enhanced branding and reliability, helpful user experience and commitment, demanding user directionsand visual fit to the UX design. An ideal Microcopy output is the key to a good, efficient UX design and thereby a precise push to greater sales, business, visitors/users/customers. Microcopy is the latest catchphrase in the field of UI / UX development and shall stay so, especially in 2021.
- Showcasing Illusory and Exciting Pictures Is Garnering More User Attention
Till now, it has been the era of real pictures the way they are. Now comes the generation of pictures that are based on real ones but have an illusory effect. Such pictures create excitement amongst users and attracts them to stick to the application. These unreal components act as an attractive medium because of which users spend more time on the site/app and thereby, increase the conversion ratio, from visitors to customers.
- Leveraging Bold Fonts in UI/UX Design Is Offering More Value
Having bold fonts has already begun and is showing its results. As the new year commences, using such bold fonts is surely going to help garner more focussed attention from the users. This methodology, if implemented wisely and effectively, will offer value add to the information being displayed. It also gives a contemporary look to the entire design and highlights the points of importance, giving it higher emphasis. There are different areas like headings, product titles, website titles, quality parameters, pricing schedules etc. where such bold fonts can create a different impression altogether.
- Voice-based Assistance Is in Real Demand Now
While the UI/UX designing process is on, one area that is trending right now is incorporation of voice assistance in the form of virtual chatbots and virtual assistants. Large conglomerates have started embedding voice related functionalities in their design process. This year saw voice recognition software being used increasingly and the new year shall see its usage even more. Speech recognition technology has been gaining a high-end accuracy rate and is being used by users of all genre, all segments alike. Reasons primarily leading to increase in usage of voice based technology is ease of use, faster execution, accurate results, lesser dependency on human interaction, instant replies to queries.
- The Concept of Mobile-First Design Stands Stronger
It was the year of mobile devices, it still is and shall stay so. The mobile-first concept has gained momentum and there is no escape to it. All designers, at the core level, have to incorporate this concept and necessary functionalities to ensure that be it any application or website, it must function on all types of mobile devices. Responsive and mobile friendly websites/applications are on an increasing spree and the new year shall see it as an indispensable ingredient. With tech giants like Google treating the mobile-first concept on priority, the coming times shall see designers giving increased focus to it, in the initial stages.
GRAPHIC DESIGN TRENDS
- Nature Inspired Design Is Preferred
Looking at the trends this year, nature-oriented designing trends are in now. Fitting to the latest trends of minimalism, illustrations, soft colours etc., nature driven designs are getting more popularity. Inspired by natural lights, soft colour palates, natural sceneries etc., the current graphic design trend has been motivated to embed this feel into the applications. Designers are finding it encouraging to seamlessly loop in natural elements into web/mobile applications, to give it a very normal feel. Especially, the pandemic time in which everyone is stuck up inside homes, has called for including elements of nature into designs.
- Optical Illusion in Designs is Working Fast
In certain key areas, where designers want users to stick to the screen, one new arena that is giving good results is optical illusion design. As we know, optical illusion offers a view that the brain feels is right but is not. It is an illusion to the eyes. New trends in designing is opting for such visuals to attract the users to keep looking at it more and thereby spend more time on the site or app. Yes, using this theme in designs is not as easy as it looks, since it needs a specific purpose else it may misfire. But intelligent designers have started giving it a try and have succeeded also.
- 3D Design Is Garnering More Focus in Graphic Design
The advent of AR and VR and infused more of 3D technology into graphic design trends. 3D has been here since a long time now, but the trend towards having it ingrained into designs is increasing. The coming year shall see more ways and means to inculcate 3D designs into the graphical portions of designs. These new 3D design elements shall show more real visuals, life like scenes, thinning the lines between the physical world and digital world. Even 3D typography has shown huge advancement, with different geometric/organic designs floating and animation, texture, patterns showing newer features. Designing using typography is the new trend coming up next year.
- Peculiar Characters Are Being Preferred
Design trends are changing to include characters that are not relevant or offer a different visual than routine. There are characters that symbolize some personality but with a different concept. It is a different approach and users are still getting used to it but since our eyes are usually keen to see a difference, these set of unique characters are being liked by users. Animals wearing human clothes or humanlike creatures are examples of characters that are being introduced as design elements, of course, ensuring complete relevance.
- Fine Arts and Design Elements Are Blending with Time
Fine arts were considered a section of art that was enjoyed by a set of specific audience. Little had it to do with graphical elements of design. But, as time is changing, a newer set of audience is set to welcome the thinning line between fine arts elements and design elements. Painting, brushstrokes, abstract drawings etc. are being used as design elements in applications/websites. Though created through computers, these effects look very real and hence are praised by users. This is comparatively a newer trend and hence, the coming year shall witness progressive usage of these elements.
On a Wrapping Note
Designs come and go; design trends do the same. Trends keep changing but the basic essence of the importance of designing in the IT world continues to spike high. Newer technologies and tools are acting as a strong catalyst in giving a new perception to design trends and the year 2021 shall play a witness to that! It shall be worthwhile to see how the trending design elements of 2021 and UI/UX application development offer an entirely new outlook to IT solutions.
