The last two years have been long and the pandemic is not over yet. Designers in 2022 have a unique opportunity to rebuild with a fresh perspective, incorporating everything we’ve learned since the beginning of the pandemic. Including rethinking remote work policies until we recognize the unintended impact of the products we built.

For anyone to succeed in the post-pandemic market, they must understand trends and what their target audience wants. The importance of understanding UX/UI design trends is no different than understanding how important they are in the fashion or restaurant industries, as examples. Everyone should listen to what people want, pay attention to how people use a product, and create beautiful, simple, easy-to-use concepts that make a product stand out. (G1)

UX/UI design trends for today

Pop-ups, notifications and other “attention-grabbing” widgets can be seen by consumers as basic and annoying. “Less is more” is probably the most well-known slogan of the minimalist movement. It was popularized by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe when describing the minimalist aesthetic. The minimalist movement in visual interfaces began in the mid-2000s, with the intention of prioritizing content. Minimalist design means designing an application so that the user is able to find all the important options easily without having to struggle to find the option the user is looking for.

A simple app is liked by everyone as it helps to navigate through the app easily and without wasting time. As people have less time nowadays, it becomes even more important to create apps that don’t take a lot of time.

Mobile-First

Responsive web design is a web design method that allows the web to automatically adjust to different device screens, displaying content in a way that people feel comfortable. This greatly reduces user operations such as panoramic, zoom and scroll when browsing the web. Designing mobile variations is a necessary step that will increase traffic to the site. In 2021, Statista reported that mobile devices account for over 54% of web page views worldwide. Gone are the days when consumers primarily search the web on their laptops. Important points about Mobile First:

• Mobile internet usage overtook desktop usage in 2016.

• People spent more and more time on the internet from mobile terminals.

• Since 2012, smartphone sales have surpassed PC sales.

UX for wearables

“Approximately one in five U.S. adults (21%) say they regularly use a smartwatch or wearable fitness tracker, according to a Pew Research Center survey (The Pew Research Center is a Washington DC-based think tank that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends shaping the US and the world. The PRC and its projects are funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.)”

Smartwatches, Fitbits, smart glasses and wireless headphones are just a few of the wearable technologies on the rise. Wearable technology provides the user with a new sense of seamless connectivity and simplicity.

Storytelling with UX

Content strategy is the crafting and development of all product messages. UX writing is a specialty within this discipline. It focuses on helping users achieve their goals with the language. The language helps the user to get where they want. By focusing on what the user wants to achieve, the content strategy builds loyalty and trust. Writers work with designers to think about the hierarchy of information on the page. This guides the user’s actions. Writers work with researchers to test hypotheses about language and inform our insights.

Incorporating parallax scrolling, micro animations and other UX trends in combination with storytelling is a powerful and effective way to communicate and connect with your audience. (BBC)

Virtual reality

Utilizing virtual reality (VR) gadgets, e.g. HTC Vive, Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard, users can be transported to various genuine worlds and predicted situations, e.g. the center of a squeaky penguin state or even the backs of a a monster.

VR is a game-changer in user experience. VR fully immerses the user in an interactive 3D environment. Industry leaders are innovating new ways for consumers to use their headphones. (UOL)

Therefore, it is clear that UX has a lot to be explored and that is why it is important to have professionals focused on people’s behavior to be able to design tools, products or services, because UX is in everything. This scope will make new specialties appear, much in response to the needs of each sector.

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