**For the last few years advances in web design have meant creating fancy flash and experimental sites that assault the user’s senses, with usability often an after-thought.**
However, the really great user interface (UI) design lets users complete their goals rather than distracting them with over-complicated elements. Users generally prefer websites that are intuitive to use and require a minimal number of clicks to reach the outcome they’re after.
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/user-interface.jpg alt: Improving your user interface)
The navigation should make it easy for the user to move around, interact with and understand the website they’re visiting without prior help or explanation.
Visitors to your site don’t want to do a lot of work tracking down the product or area they’re looking for and they don’t want to go through a lengthy signing up process. This is frustrating, and will encourage them to look elsewhere.
Luckily, web developers and graphic designers are returning to basics, and considering usability factors again. Ideally a site should include great design, technology and usability, for an experience that is useful as well as pleasurable.
Our pick of important emerging trends in user interface
### **Responsive Design**
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/responsive-design.jpg alt: Example of responsive design)
(link: https://www.superdream.co.uk/digital/mobile-responsive/ text: Responsive web design popup: true title: Mobile and Responsive) has been around for a couple of years now, and is ever-improving. Sites are visited from an increasing range of devices, including mobile browsers, netbooks , tablets and desktop computers and it’s important that a website functions well on all of these.
To keep ahead of the curve companies are increasingly adapting to the new browsing habits of their audience, anticipating and responding to user’s needs. Responsive design considers usability across a variety of modern mediums, making sure the layout is flexible and adaptable for every device users could be viewing a website or email on, with a variety of possible browsers.
This keeps continuity in the design, and means that designers and developers only have to work on one version of a website, instead of multiple ones for desktop computers and mobile devices.
A good example of responsive design comes from digital duo (link: http://www.dasselundwagner.com/en/ text: Dassel and Wagner).
### **Flat Design**
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/flat-design.jpg alt: example of flat design)
(link: https://www.superdream.co.uk/creative-design-trends/ text: Flat design is a recent trend popup: true title: 5 Creative Design Trends to Explore in 2013). The fussiness of drop shadows, textures and gradients are abandoned in favour of solid colours, sharp and striking typography and simple layouts. This makes for a fresh and appealing site with simplified navigation.
By stripping away all the unnecessary elements, usability becomes central to visitor’s experience again. The big bright style of Web 2.0 is stripped back to focus on a clean, minimal aesthetic, stylish typography and information hierarchy.
When done right this approach is popular with users. The interface is easy to digest and its elements don’t get in the way of the tasks they’re trying to accomplish.
Flat design can be seen as a reaction against the over-the-top designs of recent years, and therefore a trend that is unlikely to last a long time, especially as some clients may find this too simplistic for their tastes.
Take a look at this beautiful example from (link: http://www.layervault.com/ text: Layervault).
### **Laser Focus**
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/laser-focus.jpg alt: example of laser focused website)
Laser focused user interface means drawing the visitor’s focus to a single, obvious task to do as they open a page, instead of providing a variety of options. This makes it easy for the visitor to see instantly the purpose of the site and what it provides, instead of confusing them about where exactly they should be clicking.
This approach is ideal for a site that has a single, important function it centres on – for example a search engine or hotel booking site. The (link: http://www.google.com/ text: Google homepage) is of course the most obvious example of this.
### **Skeuomorphism**
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/skeuomorphism.jpg alt: example of skeuomorphism)
Skeumorphism was originally popularised by Apple.
The concept is that real-life, familiar objects are imitated – for example, displaying a range of ebooks in a wooden bookshelf, with book cover representing the digital content, or a notes app with the appearance of note paper. It is most commonly used for mobile applications, as these devices are touch screen and tactile.
While imitating a familiar object may be fun and easy to use for users, it can also be argued that skeuomorphism is restrictive, as it means accepting the limitations of the object it’s based on.
A lot of the best UI elements imitate physical or mechanical elements from everyday life however: pushing buttons, turning a dial or the pages of folders, so many see skeuomorphism as just the next step on from this.
Take a look at (link: http://www.bagigia.com/ text: http://www.bagigia.com/), where you pull at the zip of one of the brand’s bags to scroll through images of the bag itself as well as the manufacturing process. This really brings the bag and its story to life.
### **Single page sites**
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/single-page.jpg alt: example of a single page site)
Creative and visually appealing one-page sites are now flourishing, with big background images, animation and stunning illustration. Ignoring the limitations of traditional website architecture, they allow for simplicity without being dull.
Although once frowned on for the scrolling they require, for certain sites single page may be the best option. As we have all become so used to scrolling, some see it as easier to keep scrolling than to split the content over a number of pages, which visitors will have to track down.
This style won’t work for everyone, but looks great when done well. It is best used for telling a story, or presenting product features and benefits. Take a look at this amazing example:(link: http://jessandruss.us/ text: http://jessandruss.us/)
When considering user experience in your next website redesign, why not think of these interface trends and explore how they can work for your business?
As a leading digital and web design agency, we’re always experimenting with new trends and tricks; all designed to get your website working for you. (link: https://www.superdream.co.uk/contact/ text: Speak to us today popup: true title: Contact), and see just how we can transform your online presence.