When working on a new software product, design is probably not the first thing on your mind.
You pay much attention to your software development team structure, discuss with the engineering team the nuances of web apps architecture, and learn about the relevant web development trends.
But striving for seamless functionality, you also have to take care of the appearance of the application, so you may start your research of design rules and read the latest guidelines. Following them may be sufficient to create a working design. However, will your design be unique? Will it match the mood of your end users and reflect the tendencies in your target market — or even the whole world? Will it give users the feeling that they’re interacting with the latest product?
Probably not, since you’ve built the discovery and design stage of your mobile app development process around rules and guidelines but neglected the latest design trends.
Following design trends always has two sides:
- Positive
You show users that your product or service is relevant here and now. We feel positive emotions when we’re using modern and fashionable products. - Negative
Trends become outdated fast, and you need to regularly update your product’s appearance. Otherwise, your once trendy design may cause the opposite effect.
At Clockwise Software, we have identified several industries in which it’s crucial to be on top of the latest design trends:
- Technology
- Fashion and beauty
- Hospitality
- Entertainment
- Automotive
- Real estate
Neglecting the trends in design may become one of the large product roadmapping mistakes. In the mentioned industries, customers value the fancy and exclusive. At the same time, they like the feeling of belonging to something cutting-edge and trendsetting. These emotions are awakened through the implementation of contemporary design.
If you carefully research your audience and think through the appealing design in the initial stages of product creation, implementing the trends won't influence the software development cost much.
The essence of trends is that they reflect the situation and people’s lives at a given point in time. Events of recent years have brought up feelings of isolation, the struggle to express oneself, questions about freedom of choice, and contemplation on the fragility of circumstances. And they have all found their expression in the latest design trends. Let’s analyze those trends together!
Current design trends in 2023
We will review the most notable trends in web and mobile app design and product branding. However, these trends also apply to non-digital products such as packaging and printed media.
Big, dynamic typography
An interesting font or the right combination of a few brave fonts can become a catchy accent or completely replace an image. We’ve gone so far into minimalism that the text not only serves to convey information but also performs a decorative role and creates first impressions. Interesting font combinations attract attention as well as a beautiful picture. Animations and/or flashy colors can enhance the effect, guaranteeing your text will be read.
Furniture Shop Web Site Design: Landing Page / Home Page UI by Sajon
Off-School website design by Ruslan Siiz
By putting fonts in the center of your web design, you share the vibe of courage and self-confidence.
Gradients
Gradients have been trending for more than a year. However, now the fashion is shifting towards restrained, smooth, clean gradients reminiscent of a blur effect. The most popular colors for these purposes are inspired by nature: crystals, water, soil, a starry sky. The shape of the gradient fill itself also matters — the trend is to use gradients in the shape of a distorted oval.
Time line for Natural app by Gleb Kuznetsov
Chroma Grainy Gradient Textures by kuro
Mix of 2D and 3D
It seems that designers have already played enough in 2D and 3D and have found a continuation of the theme in combining the two. Juggling shapes looks fresh and opens up new possibilities.
Google Password Manager by Jarratt Moody and Chris Kelly
Scooters, Scooters Everywhere by bitfuel
Stay Home, Stay Positive by GRAMM
Animated onboarding for Altrüus Gifting app by Iggy Paul for Zajno
Unusual micro-animations
Animated scrolling, headings, and pictures won’t surprise anyone. These animations have become so familiar that we hardly pay attention to them. To stand out now, a thoughtful, original animation is used for elements that should involve the user, such as a CTA or certain storytelling elements like arrows, buttons, logos, and links.
Type Hype platform design by Massive Assembly
Task manager responsive dashboard design by Taras Migulko
Mobile app animated interactions by Outcrowd
Frames or a visible grid
Integrating frames into your design gives it organization and order. Grid borders can replace images entirely or complement them.
Quiosque Lisboa by Ruslan Siiz
Web site design: landing page, home page, UI by Halo UI/UX
Female Faces website design by Loonatiks Design Crew
Scrollytelling
Scrolling is used as a tool for directing the user’s attention, as directed by the designer. The screen is seen as a stage on which the content performs: it appears at the right moment and in the right place, making browsing a site or application exciting. This is called scrollytelling.
Japanese Style Shop website design by Siavash Ghanbari for Kettle Studio
NFTiE product page interaction by Taras Migulko for emote_agency
Bookly library app design by Kristina Spiridonova for Purrweb UI/UX Agency
Hand-drawn illustrations
Custom hand-drawn illustrations specifically for your purposes will not leave anyone indifferent. They look good both static and animated. You can also try combining them with photos.
Feed the 3oo website design by Maxim Aksenov and Evgeniya Dyupina
U Study landing page interaction design by Taras Migulko
Crystal-inspired design
You can be inspired by everything about crystals: their color, shape, texture, reflection, transparency. As a result, your product will reflect purity and value.
Mural website design by Gleb Kuznetsov for Milkinside
Glassy Gradients - N°1 "Bubbles" by Roman Bratschi
Acid and bright colors
Be bold — use bright colors or color combinations so your design remains in the user’s memory for a long time.
Yannick Gregoire's portfolio by Loonatiks Design Crew
A cinema ticketing app concept by Paweł Olszak
Photos cropped in an unusual shape
Photographs still carry an important value, serving as a source of information. However, everyone is tired of the typical rectangular images. Experiment with the form and you will win.
Parfois e-commerce website design by Lisa Kiseleva
Riginos Yachts website design by Kommigraphics
Neureka's annual business report design by Kukuh Andik
As you can see, trends do not limit you but rather set the mood for creativity. Everyone will find something for themselves in these trends, whether you’re running a serious business or an entertainment platform.
Of course, e-commerce and marketplace development trends will differ much from healthcare trends, and copying some stylish applications' designs won't bring you the expected results. Think carefully about your goals and consult a professional software design and development team to create a clear roadmap to achieve them.
