It’s a brand-new year, which means a whole new wave of UX design trends. Some of these ideas are already popular and are currently being perfected; others have just reached a jumping-off point. With this combination of trends ahead of us, 2019 is sure to be full of exciting changes in the UX design world!
1. Purposeful Animation
Animation is nothing new when it comes to UX experience. On a website, anything that catches the eye is a good place to start. Conveying more information, providing visual feedback, and using visual hints are all ways that animation can add to user experiences. Together, these elements let a user know what’s going on and help direct their attention, particularly when a website has an overwhelming amount of content.
2. Tunneling User Experience
In the UX design world, this year is a year of clean and compiled experiences–in other words, making sure that users can complete tasks with less hassle and through more approachable navigation. Providing tunnels or channels in which the user is controlling the navigation of the website makes for a happier and more satisfying experience.
3. Contemporary Interface Design
Fast and fluid designs not only appeal visually to users, but also make them feel like anything is possible. With contemporary design, content is presented in a clean way that retains the flow of information. While flashy design may have had a place last year, it looks like 2019 is a new year with a new look.
4. Voice Command Will Grow and Grow
With tech like Alexa and Google Home constantly on the rise, voice command is continuing to grow without any sign of slowing down. This provides users with a level of connection like never before.–making it a perfect way to efficiently integrate technology into everyday life. On the UX side, the rise of voice assistants provides the opportunity to attain new levels of design; in short, voice command is a valuable tool for user experience.
5. Storytelling in a Digital Space
Storytelling has helped convey interesting and important content for years, and now it is expanding to digital spaces and platforms. Digital storytelling is a method of presenting information in a compelling and meaningful way, such as graphics that effectively convey crucial points for users to see, interact with, and understand. In the same way that book illustrations help readers understand stories, digital storytelling provides effective visualizations that enhance user experience.
6. Increased Personalization
Increased user personalization is not only crucial in making a user feel valued, but also a statement about the level of care put into a website. The more personally invested a user is, the more importance they put onto their interactions themselves. When thinking about the ways in which personalization ties into an overall user experience, think about empathy: really listening to and understanding the target audience. It’s not just one size fits all; personalization is all about about one user at a time. The more understood a user feels, the more engaged they are, and the better the experience becomes.
7. Adding Depth in Designs
More complex and realistic designs are starting to make their mark. This year, adding 3D to flat design will help a website stand out. This trend might be more popular with sites that are aiming to sell an actual product or begin a selling process. Using shadows and complex coloring will give the website more depth and provide a user with a more honest and realistic takeaway.
8. End of Fixed Screens
Thinking outside a fixed screen is going to be huge in 2019. The way that users interact with a site or product is just as important as their final reaction and overall takeaway. Physical interaction–having a user move, lift, and turn mobile screens and tablets–allows the process become a more organic, more involved experience. This year, we’ll only see more new ways in which physical interaction plays a crucial part in user experience.
9. Content Originated Experience
User experience is all about the journey, and content has always been king. A mix of tech and content will make a name for itself this year–namely, providing users with a way to make design important because of content, not the other way around. Design involves general aesthetics, but on-screen functionality is just as important. Providing content that clarifies the design, or even the usability, of a website, will be a trend to watch.
10. Simple Navigation
It’s no shock to learn that the fewer choices users have, the clearer their takeaway message is. Simple navigation has always been a useful tool, but this year, it’s making bigger waves than ever before. Cutting down time and getting more to the point is going to be all the rage.
While trends in user design have a habit of coming and going, it’s important to remember that UX design is never one size fits all. There will always be an endless supply of knowledge, ideas, and tools to implement.
2019 is bringing improved face-to-face interaction, more storytelling, and better navigational tools to the world of UX design. All this makes the world of UX all the more engaging, fun, and easy to use! Which, of course, is the whole point!
Also published on Medium.