Top UI/UX Trends Taking Over 2021

Technology is the lifeline of the 21st century and there isn't any industry that hasn't undergone significant changes due this. With more and more businesses taking their business forums online, it has become a prerequisite to ensure a creative and unique website or application that is modern and trendy. As avid developers, we at GeekyAnts follow a motto of “Research, Collaborate and Build” and this has caused us to venture out and with the newest trends in the market to build exceptional digital solutions for our partners.

User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are the two of the most important aspects of application development and generally go hand-in-hand. To elaborate further, UI is the interaction that the user has with the system while UX is the experience derived from this interaction. The best web applications always have strong UI/UX designs as this defines many factors including the business that the website brings in.

The best UI/UX designs result in a website that offers clarity, familiarity and efficiency. With the constant flux in technology, UI/UX trends are changing at an exponential rate and as a development organisation, we feel the need to research, adapt and change according to the trends in order to formulate applications that are creative, versatile and offer a stellar user experience. Read on to discover some of the leading UI/UX trends of 2021 and how we have worked with such technologies:

Though the concept of conversing with our devices might seem like a thing of the past, VUI has become one of the leading trends of 2021 as well, majorly due to the outbreak of the pandemic which promoted touchless interactions. VUI enables us to give commands to our devices which then process it and in return, provide us with the required data. This is a harder task than it seems as it is important to formulate a strong UX design which renders the application capable of understanding diverse commands. Applications built using Voice User Interface can be either auditory or tactile, i.e. responsive to gestures.

One of the prime examples to explain this concept is the work we did on the sports training simulation application for Coresports. During our collaboration, we were required to work on both a mobile and web application for our partners. But, as the pandemic caused unprecedented havoc across the globe, the release of the application was postponed and a few modifications were to be made. Our partners required us to provide a more “contactless” approach for the application which we did by facilitating a slider which could be used to glide through the information in one go instead of through multiple interactions.

Like its predecessor, the trend of using light letters on a dark background had rolled out some time ago but has gained popularity globally for its many benefits. When the world is facing a shift from age-old techniques to a digitized future, it has been noted that people are averaging more screen time. Dark mode offers the very important benefit of being easier on your eyes which will help you protect your visual perception in the long run by reducing the glare from your screen. It has also been observed that the usage of Dark Mode helps in preserving the battery life of devices that utilise LED displays.

One of the biggest milestones that we reached as an organisation is when we created BuilderX, a browser based coding tool for React and React Native. The purpose of building this was to bring designers and developers to the same file format, hence making the coding process easier. We chose to implement Dark Mode on the BuilderX platform for the many advantages that it provides.

Motion graphics is nothing but animated and illustrative graphics presented along with text for enhanced comprehensibility. It is an efficient way to communicate with the viewer as it provides depth to the message being portrayed. Integration of motion graphics is one of the upcoming trends of 2021 being favoured by UI/UX designers as it helps to curate a wholly unique user experience while also drawing attention to some elements. Motion graphics are essentially a type of animation that is all about the visual experience and eye-catching imagery.

We recently revamped the GeekyAnts website which was due for a while and one of the most important changes we made was implementing motion graphics to our logo. The idea behind this switch was to build a camaraderie with those visiting our site by providing them with the idea of our brand in the most simple and visually appealing way possible.

Comprehending Data Based AI is as simple as understanding its nomenclature. It is one the topmost UI/UX trends where data is collated from multiple sources and processed using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques to come up with accurate, predictive solutions. Deriving data-driven AI solutions is efficient and timely compared to accumulating and processing information using traditional manual techniques. Using an AI framework can help you to immediately sift through the information, distinguish irregularities and provide you with the significant data you need to make decisions.

As an app development organisation, we aim to make use of the best available technical solutions to provide digital solutions for our partners, while also constantly improving our internal processes. We created a flagship hiring platform called TheTopGeek which automates the HR processes using Data-Based AI. This has revolutionised the entire hiring processes by providing the HR department the information of all employees right from the initial hiring processes.

A gradient in itself is a gradual blend of colours that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Gradient Logos have seen a comeback in 2021 with multiple brands refurbishing their logos to give it more of a 3D effect. Many international companies like Tinder, Instagram and Jaguar have already changed up their logos to give it a gradient look as this is a great way to add personality to the brand.

We recently worked on a Gradient Logo for a Rëit-ë-Away, a grocery delivery company. Our partners required us to come up with a logo that would symbolise the idea of the organisation. The UI/UX team brainstormed and came up with colour combinations and other elements that would describe the app first. After multiple iterations, we came up with the idea of the logo which in itself was directing its character with an arrow symbol.

A lot of factors go into designing any application and typography is a very important factor affecting the aesthetic appeal of a web page. Using bold fonts which offer better readability and bring attention to an idea is another emerging trend in the UI/UX domain. Another reason why UI/UX designers are adopting this trend globally is because bold fonts give more scope of adding color and personalising the font, amongst other advantages. The type of design is usually featured at the top of the webpage or a section which garners the most attention.  An example of using bold typography is featured on the GeekyAnts homepage where we have used large and colorful fonts to bring attention to the company’s motto.

Mobile first design is a technique where the application is developed on the smallest screen first before working on its web counterpart., i.e. mobile phones, before developing a web application. This approach is gaining following amongst UI/UX designers globally for the reason that it ensures a truly seamless experience. This is because building a prototype for a smaller screen is harder as the mission is to fit as many features into a smaller screen, which when replicated on a larger screen brings about less scope of errors. Another reason why this philosophy is gaining popularity is because the world is seeing a paradigm where mobile phones are being increasingly used as opposed to larger devices.

While these are only some of the most popular technologies dominating this year, there are so many more that we worked with according to the relevance of the project. As a UI/UX designer critical thinking, design relevance and an eye for the creative are the most important tools when it comes to formulating a design concept. From an enhanced user experience to more efficient applications, these trends are just the start of a promise of a better future in the app development industry.