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We’re in a world where consumers are increasingly seeking entertainment from brands to escape the chaos of day-to-day life—and sites are adapting accordingly. What was once popular has now become outdated. Feature-rich, visually mesmerising websites with hover effects, and immersive 3D environment for enhanced user interaction will be all the rage for UI/UX design trends in 2023.
So, as designers, it’s crucial for you to reflect on where our industry is heading instead of blindly following old school practices.
In this guide we’ll discuss some top upcoming UI/UX design trends for 2023.
What is UX design?
User Experience is a design discipline focused on creating positive and effective experiences for users when they interact with digital products such as websites, apps, and software. The goal of UX design is to create products that users find valuable, useful, and enjoyable to use. UX designers consider a wide range of factors, including usability, accessibility, emotional impact, and overall satisfaction, to ensure that the product meets the needs of the target audience.
What is UI design?
User Interface design is the process of creating the visual and interactive elements of a digital product, such as websites, apps, and software. It focuses on the look and feel of the product, including the layout, typography, colour palette, the design of buttons, forms, and other interactive elements. The goal of UI design is to make the product aesthetically pleasing and easy to use, while also ensuring that it is accessible and enhance the overall user experience.
Why are UI/UX design trends important?
The UX/UI design trends are important because they reflect the changing needs and preferences of users, as well as advancements in technology and design thinking. Keeping up with the latest trends helps you create user-centred, accessible, and engaging experiences that meet the demands of the market.
According to data, about 88% of users do not use the website again if the UX design is terrible and the website is hard to navigate. So, adopting new Ui/Ux design trends can improve the overall user experience, and keep a company or product competitive and relevant in the market.
Top UI/UX design trends for 2023
A human-centred design is considered as the new normal in UX/UI landscape to improve usability, functionality, and visual appeal.
Here’s a look at some cutting-edge design trends for 2023 that are our favourite and you can consider this year.
1. AR and VR technologies
To stand out from competitors and draw more attention, the use of AR and VR will be key in enhancing the customer experience, particularly for e-commerce websites. You’ve already seen AR in apps to measure height and in Snapchat for creating lenses.
In 2023, wider adoption of AR technology in more apps is expected. AR has become a tool for enhancing user experience by significantly improving features and functionality in apps.
Image source: Stambol
Here are a few ways to use Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to improve the overall UX.
- Enhance the real-world environment, for example by overlaying digital information on top of physical objects.
- Provide an entirely new and immersive experience, such as a virtual tour of a location or a simulation of a product or service.
- Create interactive tutorials and demonstrations, providing a more engaging and memorable way of learning.
- Test and evaluate prototypes and designs, allowing designers to see how their products will look and function in a real-world or virtual environment.
- Create interactive advertisements, games, and social experiences, providing new ways for users to interact with brands and content.
2. Dopamine inducing palettes (tri-colour palette)
Dopamine (feel good colours) palettes include bold and happy hues. Interfaces revolve around colour blocking, soft textures, and calming hues combined with retro elements and bold, anti-design layouts make bold statements to all users – from the 70s to gen Z.
The dopamine inducing tri-color palette are becoming so popular that even big brands are taking notice.
Despite typically having a more subdued brand aesthetic, consumer goods companies are incorporating these colours into their digital campaigns as a way to express their brand identity without revamping the core brand.
3. Dark themes
In 2023 and the following years, this Ui/Ux design trend is expected to take a toll. The experts recommend using the dark theme at night before sleeping as it puts less strain on the eyes and improves the quality of slumber. Moreover, the combination of OLED technology and dark theme also extends battery life on devices such as smartphones and laptops.
Image source: Pinterest
Many companies like Google, Meta, WhatsApp, Slack have already implemented a dark theme design and some platforms also offer users the option to choose a dark theme design for a more visually enticing interface.
4. Clean and clear minimalism
In 2022, a fresh wave of minimalism is set to distinguish itself from other trends and grab users’ attention. The trend continues to grow in 2023 and beyond. It favours bold, lively, and bright colours to accentuate important elements and maintain visual appeal while keeping the content simple and intuitive.
A good interface is one that goes unnoticed and utilises standard functions as users seek a less intrusive design. Keep the focus to the details such as the interface grid, fonts and icons, colours, UX, and animation.
Clean and clear minimalism continues to play a significant role in brand development, as it instantly captures attention with its relevance and freshness.
When combined with the dark theme, this new form of minimalism becomes even more impactful.
It is important to maintain a light interface, avoiding heavy shades to keep the content at the forefront, and utilise standard functions, element placement, and interaction that are familiar and easy to understand for users.
5. Motion design
In the past, developing animations for web and applications was a challenging task, as teams had to balance animation quality, website performance, and app size. But with advancements such as faster bandwidth (5G!) and the introduction of tools like Lottie Files, designers are now able to create eye-catching animations while maintaining small file sizes and smooth performance.
The use of these tools has empowered designers to incorporate motion design into their workflow. Looking ahead, we can expect to see more and more animations, not only to enhance the visual appeal of designs but also to create a more seamless user experience and delight users with engaging micro-interactions.
6. Immersive scrolling
Immersive scrolling has opened up new opportunities for storytelling, and companies, particularly those focused on landing pages, will likely take advantage of this to better engage their audience. Moreover, scrolling enhances decision-making through cognitive reflection. This leads to a design layout that impacts both conscious and subconscious thinking in people.
Previously, scrolling was mainly focused on the content’s arrangement, such as determining the best way for users to understand the message and using a hierarchy to present the story. These elements were static, with only occasional animations or videos.
With advancements in technology, like JavaScript, animation libraries, or native methods for smooth animations, designers now have more control over the content they display and how it appears. This allows for a more strategic and narrative-focused approach to content presentation.
Motion design plays a significant role in immersive scrolling. The use of moving elements, unique navigation placement, and creative animations can enhance scrolling and pique users’ interest.
However, it’s important to note that this technique is not a one-size-fits-all solution and should be customised to meet specific project goals. It may not always result in increased engagement.
7. 3D Imagery
The integration of 3D imagery into web design provides a more immersive and engaging experience for users. 3D elements can add depth and realism to interfaces, making them appear more lifelike and dynamic. This can also provide a more intuitive and interactive experience, allowing users to explore and interact with products or services in a more engaging way.
We see many UX designers increasingly showcase images by editing photos to make them colourful and dynamic, use imperfect illustrations and 3D objects in websites or apps to accentuate or complement the content.
However, it’s important to note that 3D imagery should be used in a way that enhances the overall user experience, rather than distracting or overwhelming them.
Additionally, using 3D elements can increase the complexity and cost of the development process, so it should be carefully considered and used appropriately in the design.
8. Gradients
Gradients has been heavily adopted in 2022 as one of the most prominent UI/UX design trends and we believe will remain with us in the next few years. You’ve probably already noticed this trend popping up all over social media and fashion magazines, with brighter colours and bolder designs.
In the digital world, gradients are making a splash with the resurgence of brutalism and happy, colourful palettes.
Get ready to be surrounded by a nice, colourful parade of screens, packaging, and more. Brace yourself for a vibrant and colourful journey ahead!
9. Abstract visualisation
The trend of using abstract visualisation in UX design has been growing in recent years as a way to represent complex information and data in a more user-friendly and intuitive way.
This approach often involves using graphics, icons, and other non-literal visual elements to convey meaning and improve understanding, rather than relying solely on text or numbers.
Abstract visualisation can enhance the user experience by making it easier to comprehend information and find what they are looking for, leading to increased engagement and satisfaction.
10. Unique micro-interaction
The micro-interactions in mobile UI/UX are characterised by tactile feedback with the ability to alter the colours for different program states. It is important to incorporate animated visualisations of page loading and transitions to make the experience more engaging.
A highlight feature, such as a change in the appearance of icons upon clicking, can also contribute to the overall positive experience for the user. Such attention to detail can increase user comfort and likelihood of staying on the site, exploring its content and making purchases.
11. Emotional design
Emotional design has been a key aspect of UX research since its inception. The idea behind it is that humans make decisions based on emotions rather than logic.
With the saturation of digital products, simply being novel and usable is no longer enough to stand out. This has led to a renewed focus on emotional design, which plays an important role in creating unique and valuable products, giving companies a competitive edge.
A beautiful design stimulate different feelings, attract more attention, and helps build better connections with the target clients; thus, selling become effortless.
Behavioural emotional design example from Notion
The emotional design trend requires employing bright colour schemes to highlight essential UI/UX parts. It will include types of interaction that elicit strong and positively affirming, as well as visceral and behavioural responses before more highly cognitive impressions are made.
Specific areas such as micro-gestures, tolerability, relatable micro-copy and personalization will go hand in hand with the UI/UX design research to make way for futuristic products.
12. Nutty navigation
Navigating websites and apps is becoming more enjoyable as the trend of interactive, playful navigation gains popularity. This UX design trend includes animations, fun menus, hover effects, and unique layouts to make navigating a website feel like an adventure.
Rather than traditional static pages, ornate scrolling, hover, and reveal effects are used in navigational menus to offer a fresh and intuitive experience. This adds excitement to dropdowns and guides users from one point to another in an intuitive manner.
13. Human-centric AI chatbots
Get ready to take your customer service to the next level! With the rise of AI technology, users expect chatbots to feel like they’re talking to a human, not a robotic machine. That’s why in 2023, we’ll see more chatbots seamlessly integrated into apps and websites.
The tech world is significantly investing in machine learning to deliver high-quality customer service. This means chatbots will sound even more natural, have a stronger grasp of grammar, understand a wider vocabulary, and even handle spelling errors and typos.
If your chatbot can solve problems quickly and easily for users, customers will trust your brand and share their positive experiences with their friends. So why not use AI to create a chatbot that asks the right questions at the right time? A user-friendly chatbot will lead to a loyal customer base and a boost to your reputation.
14. Cross device compatibility
Users are now used to the cross-device compatibility offered by modern applications, with Apple setting the standard for integrated product ecosystems. This has led to an expectation for smooth cross-device functionality.
In the coming year, many products will strive to be device-agnostic while maintaining a consistent experience. Improving the seamless nature of cross-device experiences will be a challenge for UX researchers, who must take into account unique user journeys and find new solutions to meet their needs.
Let’s embrace the future trends with Hypabeez
Staying on top of the latest UI/UX trends is essential for businesses who want to stay ahead of the game. From incorporating artificial intelligence to prioritise user experience to embracing minimalism and immersive design, understanding and adapting to the newest trends in 2023 will be key in delivering innovative and seamless digital experiences.
Hypabeez is a trusted UI/UX design agency in Hong Kong that will help you stay ahead of the curve, attract and retain customers, and ultimately drive growth and success.
Book a FREE consultation with a digital expert to discuss how advancements in technology are shaping the future of UI/UX design.
