Top UI and UX Trends for 2019

The new year often means new ideas, analyzing existing strategy and goals, along with looking at the direction industries are headed to better anticipate how that could impact your business. As most businesses utilize a website for some level of customer interaction, if not the primary contact or sales point, keeping up with trends and ideas within the web industry is very valuable. As a top web development firm, we wanted to help by providing what we foresee as the Top UI and UX trends for 2019.

With two decades in the web design and development business, we have seen a lot of trends come and go. That experience has helped in our forecasts to clients about which trends truly seem to have merit and value compared to those which will be soon forgotten.

Top UI and UX Trends for 2019

• Useful animation – When animation was first introduced to websites it was a novelty; a true fad. While it was interesting and did help slightly with engagement when first introduced, it soon became boring along with being a drain on web resources. However, with technological advances in browser capabilities combined with increased speeds the door has opened for useful animation that can increase for UI and UX. Motion animation can help direct the user, increase attention to specific areas of a page, tell a story without words, or simply entertain and the possibilities of use will be limited only by imagination and the time it takes to code.
• Cartoon imagery – The use of cartoonish images and animations stems from the concept of playful interaction. There is an inherent sense of humor or fun associated with cartoons that can translate well for certain purposes. Younger generations have discovered classic staples and styles of cartoons such as Blondie, Li’l Abner, or Felix the Cat and are using retro imagery to create a fresh, hip look on websites.
• Variable fonts – Variable fonts are basically like a responsive website, they adapt to the size needed while being an individual font file. When traditional fonts are utilized, and they need to be varied sizes, thickness or slants then requires additional files. This represents a natural progression moving towards a more convenient way to create exactly the size element needed including weight and slant with a quick tug of the slider rather than handcrafting each one based on need.
• Use of gradients – Using gradient colors has become a popular concept for use in images and backgrounds, often by applying duotone gradients over images to add a secondary color element. There are also multicolored gradients using vibrant hues ranging from purples, blues, reds, and oranges to brighter greens and yellows. We expect to see even more use in both background elements as well as other design elements such as titles, navigation, icons, or hover effects, along with being incorporated in 3D to provide a layer of texture.
• Vibrant colors – Colorful designs are making somewhat of a comeback. In this case, it is color with a purpose. Use of vibrant, bold colors with high saturation can evoke a very positive reaction which can greatly add to an interaction with the customer.
• Less than flat design – The flat design concept has been consistently used over the past few years because of how effectively it works; combining minimalist ideas to create maximum usability. With advances in technology, including 3-D and animation, we will now see the flat design shifting to still maximize usability while also using deeper imagery to create a sense of interaction with actual objects. While not full 3D, using multiple layers of flat design will create a deeper flat design which will have a three-dimensional feel. This is a similar idea to Google’s Material Design.
• 3D graphics – This is a trend we expect to see more of later in the year. 3D graphics have become very commonplace in the video game industry with incredible cut-scenes and sequences that wow and amaze. With faster speed and performance ability, using 3D graphics on websites is now actually plausible. The mobile arena is the primary reason why as smart devices now have the processing power to render objects quickly. This will be especially useful to demonstrate complex processes or actions in a visual manner for users to quickly digest and comprehend.
• Rounded Edges – The current crop of smartphones all use screens with rounded edges. This creates a problem from a design standpoint as sharp-edged elements are often used. That means designs will need to consider the rounded edges of devices when it comes to layouts.
• UX Copywriting – This is a concept that many large companies have used for the past few years; employ actual writers to provide copy for important touchpoints of websites that provide a higher level of experience for the user. Good copywriting is useful in other areas besides marketing. By incorporating it into the website’s UX it can provide a smoother interaction by understanding customer insights and using that along with the brand voice to engage and be useful.
• AR and VR – Both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality will make strides this year. Google and Apple have launched their own AR development platforms and VR has been tapping on the window the past few years. However, this looks to be a minor trend this year as designers determine the best way to create functional experiences rather than just “interesting” experiences.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that we are not clairvoyant. However, while we can’t see the future, our years in the business creating innovative and award-winning websites has helped us understand a great deal about the industry. It is likely most of these Top UI and UX trends for 2019 will extend into the following year and should be considered to help increase engagement and conversions on your website.

Be sure to check back every week for great new Lounge Lizard blog articles.

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