Modern users have options, and they know it! They’re constantly inundated with advertisements, and product information is only a simple web search away.
If organizations are to reach and retain a dedicated client base, they need to make user experience one of their core competencies.
UX plays a critical role at all points in the sales funnel; it generates leads in the first instance and helps seal deals as the selling process draws to a close. And above all else, UX needs to be engaging and responsive.
Quite simply, trend-spotting is crucial for any product provider that wishes to stay ahead of the game.
UX/UI Design Trends to Look Forward to in 2023
UX has two primary goals: to enhance the product interaction process for customers and help businesses meet modern consumer demands.
With an optimized user interface, organizations can streamline the interaction shared between the user and their operating system. Generating a UX that actively piques and, in turn, sustains consumer attention.
As users continue to shift to the mobile web and embrace new social connection solutions such as the Metaverse, several UX/UI trends are beginning to gain traction. Designed specifically with projected consumer demand in mind, these trends support the user experience across a vast and varied range of upcoming tech platforms.
These trends include:
Designing for AR, VR, and MR Experiences
Augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality are collectively set to be this year’s biggest UX trend. Each of these forms of immersive media are set to enjoy a surge in popularity over the coming 12 months, mainly thanks to the rise of the Metaverse.
Promising an innovative and customizable gaming experience, this unique combination of VR and augmented reality is projected to pique consumer interest like nothing else in 2023.
Advanced Cursor Interactions
Advanced cursor interactions have long been considered a cool quirk merely capable of providing the user with memorable interactions. However, this interface feature is set to be stripped of all its gimmicks and taken to the next level in 2023.
Personalized Experiences
There has been a seismic shift in consumer behavior over the past two years. The COVID-19 lockdown forced many of the purchasing public to shop for their daily goods via the web.
The modern and pre-pandemic e-commerce consumer now wants autonomy over their purchasing habits (and knows there will be an e-commerce brand capable of meeting this demand).
Micro-Interactions
Micro-interactions are the visual movements (swipes, hovers, animations, enlargements, etc.) on websites and app platforms. As they shift from static to dynamic, micro-interactions are now establishing a far more engaging and entertaining user experience.
Powered by cloud and keychain solutions, micro-interactions can be stored within the UI information architecture. This further helps to personalize the user experience.
New 3D Design Tools
3D visuals might not be a new concept, but they pack a punch in the development sector. Whether used in web design or mobile application development, three-dimensional graphics are proven to create memorable product designs.
New 3D design tools can facilitate a spectacular presentation process. Not only does this help to entice the user, but it also enables a timely alteration process as prototype product design can be tested before the development process.
This UX trend is proving particularly popular within the manufacturing sector.
Integrated Gaming Experiences
Gamification is a major factor driving the recent rise of UX games. While they surf the Internet and wait for web pages to load, consumers turn to games to challenge themselves and, in turn, keep themselves entertained.
Throughout 2023, more and more brands are predicted to embrace this trend by filling their online platforms with playful content. These niche UI micro-interactions might not recreate the full video gaming experience, but they continue to offer something different. And in today’s competitive business climate, that is very much a good thing.
Sustainable Web Design
The rise of the eco-friendly consumer cannot be denied.
The most recent Global Sustainability Study revealed that more than one-third of the world’s consumer public are now willing to pay more for sustainable products online.
An ever-growing percentage of the population now feel inclined to play a role in the war against global warming. This shift in mentality has resulted in many organizations/consumers switching to green hosting providers and using lightweight content management systems.
Sustainable UX technology allows for user-friendly websites without damaging planet earth in the process.
Voice User Interface (VUI) Design
Voice user interfaces (VUIs) are quickly becoming one of the most sought-after forms of technology in the modern world. Embedded into today’s leading smart assistant solutions, voice-first design is designed to make life as easy as it can be for consumers across the globe.
Responsive Design
Responsive design is one of the biggest UX/UI trends to look forward to in 2023. As its name suggests, RD facilitates consistent product access across different screens, platforms, and channels. This is essential to the modern user, as it allows them to switch between their devices without interruption.
Even the most patient tech users can’t afford to be blighted by slow loading times. RD UX alleviates this issue by offering a graphic user interface (GUI), a design approach that helps content to adjust smoothly to screens of varying sizes.
New and Emerging Tools
New and emerging tools empower the full-stack design process, allowing the entire product development lifecycle to enjoy full-scale optimization.
From prototyping to service rollout, technology is at the heart of every stage of the product inception procedure. Here are the top tech tools facilitating 2023’s burgeoning UX UI trends:
Prototyping & Design
· Adobe XD
· Sketch
· Fluid UI
User Behavior Analytics
· Hotjar
· Fathom Analytics
· Smartlook
Icon Management
· IconJar
· Nucleo
· Lingo
Web & App Development
· Webflow
· Weebly
· Bubble
UI Libraries
· MUI
· iOS
· Material Design
These established UI libraries, in particular, are currently having a major impact on the product design industry. Powered by many powerful integrations, these solutions provide a personalized user interface experience by enabling seamless ‘dark mode’ integration.
UX/UI Application Development
Ever encountered a large chunk of text, noticed how far down you would have to scroll down to read it all, and closed the app with no plan to ever return to it?
These kinds of UI problems have plagued the app industry for years. Recent product design trends and advancements in UX technology are slowly starting to rectify these long-standing issues. And considering the fact that the annual number of global app downloads is projected to reach 299 billion by 2023, these improvements couldn’t come at a better time.
The aim of UX/UI in application development is to keep the user engaged with the content. This is achieved through the implementation of interactive design, maintained uniformity, and unique platform-specific elements.
The Bottom Line
Governed by an ever-changing array of developments, integrations, and quirks, the product design sector is in a constant state of flux. Unfortunately, this makes consistency increasingly difficult to come by.
If you’re to stand a chance of sustaining your product design process in 2023, keeping up with the latest UX UI trends is vital. Utilizing UX technology is not, however, a straightforward endeavor.
Are you ready to devote your time, effort, and resources to optimizing these three tasks? If not, fear not, as you could always align yourself with a reputable custom software development company that can get the job done correctly, efficiently, and affordably.
Author Bio:
Prem Khatri
Prem Khatri is the Vice President of Operations for Chetu, Inc., a global, custom software development company, where he oversees all development projects and technical operations. His primary responsibilities are to lead, track and manage technical teams that create custom software solutions. His background includes software development using C++, Java, and Microsoft technologies. Since joining Chetu in 2008, he has helped the company become an award-winning global presence in the customized software development field. Prior to joining Chetu, Prem worked for Tata Consultancy Services, as well as Blue Star Infotech, and is a graduate of both the University of Mumbai and Savitribai Phule Pune University. Prem is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
