Predicting 2022’s Latest and Greatest UX Trends

As industry leaders in UX, CreateApe has no trouble keeping up with digital trends. New technologies are created every day to simplify tasks, and website design is no different. Staying on top of (and sometimes starting) UX/UI trends is the easiest way to guarantee a flawless user experience.

Just like software, elements in a website’s interface become dated quickly. Redesigning your website with the latest popular features shows that you’re designing with your audience in mind. You may think your website is perfect as is, but ignoring trends eventually leads to a stale, outdated, and (gasp) boring experience for your user.

2020 and 2021 saw an explosion in technologies and platforms that made remote working and living easier...for obvious reasons. AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) were gaining popularity, then exploded because of the pandemic. We can safely predict that design trends will continue to steer in this direction for the foreseeable future. 

Certain aesthetic trends within interfacing elements also started gaining traction in 2021. Busy interfaces are being replaced with more minimalist designs. Bold, bright colors and typography are dominating over more simplistic, muted tones. And websites become more and more interactive with each passing year.

Trends ebb and flow, but we can see these UX/UI trends sticking around for a while.

UX/UI Trend Predictions for 2022

1. Dark Mode

Besides looking REALLY cool, there are many visual benefits of having a dark mode for your website/app. From a design perspective, a black background looks sleek and modern. White text on a black background is more eye-catching and helps the user fixate on the content of a web page.

Dark mode has two benefits for the user. For most modern screens like OLED and MicroLED, each pixel on a screen is individually lit on a white background, which drains the battery pretty quickly. Dark mode reduces the power drain and saves the overall energy consumption needed to power a laptop or mobile device.

Dark mode also significantly reduces eye strain, making for a more comfortable user experience. We spend so much time in front of screens, and exposure to blue light can cause problems over time. A dark, black background is much easier on the eyes, reducing the blue light exposure that causes eye strain from prolonged periods of screen time. 

It seems like every social media platform and mobile app is starting to catch on to dark mode, so we can see this design becoming the new norm in 2022.

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2. Abstract Data Visualization

A simple graph or chart is an easy way to visualize data-but let’s face it, they're overused and not that interesting visually. UX designers need to find new ways to present data that engages the user and encourages interaction.

Think outside the box with data visualization by creating infographics with inventive designs or adding interactive animations to charts. Getting creative with these elements is a great way to show users that you want to make the experience fresh and innovative.

The way you present data is also an opportunity to sneak in your voice and branding elements. Try to incorporate your typography and color schemes into charts to enhance the brand's presence. It's also a good place to add microcopy that conveys your overall attitude.

More and more small website elements will become interactive as time goes on. As a result, UX designers will look for more original ways to bring data to life.

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3. Personalized Experiences

The stereotype about technology is that it is cold and impersonal. As it becomes a more prevalent part of our lives, there is a push to make it more inviting and less intimidating. This idea is at the very core of UX and especially for CreateApe’s design process.

CreateApe prioritizes user empathy in all of our designs. What better way to show we design with the user in mind than creating an interface personalized for them? We can create a tailored experience based on the user’s wants and needs through research and data collection.

Interfaces can be personalized with the user’s location, demographics, search history, and purchasing patterns. By showing the user content that is relevant to their life, you inspire loyalty and show that you want to make your brand convenient for them. Personalize your interface to become a seamless part of your user’s life.

Plenty of big-name companies build their UI’s around personalization (Amazon, Netflix, and social apps like Facebook and Tik Tok to name a few). Since they make for such a smooth navigational experience, we don’t see this trend going away any time soon.

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4. Voice-User Interface

How easy has voice recognition made your life? Do you still watch the weather channel, or do you just ask Alexa what today's forecast is? With voice-activated assistance, you can find answers without having to pull out your phone. After all, typing is awfully time-consuming.

The main draw of this technology is that it completely streamlines the search process. It lets the user quickly find what they need while focusing on other things. We’ve noticed how convenient voice-activated devices are, and some companies are starting to incorporate them into their interface.

That said, the technology is not perfect yet. Voice recognition software is not 100% accurate yet, and some users have privacy concerns when using the technology in public and private. However, technology evolves and works out its own kinks over time.

The software needed to implement a voice-user interface is accessible for developers and the technology can adapt to the user’s speech patterns. It's not super common now, but we can see this feature gaining traction next year.

5. Bold Colors/Fonts

Your website’s visuals are a super important part of UX. However, visual trends can change pretty rapidly. Many websites put a focus on having a clean, professional look with modest colors and fonts. It’s fine to emphasize the website’s function more than the design, but it doesn’t make for an interesting experience overall.

Visual designs are starting to favor bright, bold colors. They’re much more eye-catching and tend to grab the user’s attention right away as opposed to neutral tones. If you’re looking to redesign your website or re-brand, this is an opportunity to take a risk and play with your color scheme a bit. Gradient colors are also popular right now and lend a cool, futuristic look to your site.

Don't let the bold colors distract from your site’s messaging or overwhelm the eye. A good way to combat this is by pairing the color scheme with a minimalistic design that prominently features your messaging or product. Bold fonts in a contrasting color from the background make your messaging stand out. Draw the user in with creative colors, then make sure they can’t miss your message by using a heavy, striking font.

Grabbing the user’s attention within the first few seconds of interacting with your site is critical. With the intensity of the outside world, a fun splash of color is a welcome change. 

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So Why Is This Important?

Your website should always be on-brand. However, on-brand does NOT always mean on-trend. Websites need to adapt to new technologies and aesthetics so the audience will not lose interest. When you are constantly innovating, you keep your audience coming back for more.

CreateApe's designers know how important it is to keep an updated interface. Every element that goes into the site should serve the brand identity and overall utility. We ensure that your website is on-brand, user-friendly, and conversion-optimized.

If you need someone to redesign your website to be current and on-trend, reach out to us today!