Now more so than ever the design world is showing us some serious impactful trends. Which are certainly paving the way for some exciting things to look out for in 2023. The main focus of UI/UX design is to adapt to ever-changing trends to meet consumer demands and boost user engagement and satisfaction. As a designer, we are expected to incorporate these latest design trends to provide clients with the best possible work.

The importance of the UI/UX design is growing more and more essential in modern digital design. Every day, there are new trends that attract the attention of both designers and end-users equally. This dynamic industry is a balancing act between creating new ways to engage users, whilst also listening and taking care of their needs.

To help explain this a little better, I’m going to talk through some of these trends:

Dark Mode

You may have read one of my previous articles for Email on Acid where I admitted to being a Dark Mode skeptic, but let’s be honest it’s here to stay. Which, in reality may not be such a bad thing. As well as saving the battery life of your device it also offers better readability of text. Also minimal eye strain while using the device at night, and reduces the screen glare and blue light.

Dark mode is not a new trend but it is becoming more of a default in UX. Since users and designers alike do seem to prefer it. So with this in mind expect to start seeing more from the dark side!

Here are some examples of websites that have taken advantage of a new era of beautifully designed dark compositions:

Bold Typography

I am a huge fan of bold typography as it is one of the easiest ways to grab a users attention. Bold typography stands out from its surroundings and demands to be read. But it has to be an integral and integrated part of the overall aesthetic, plus well thought out before implementing it in your design.

Here are some examples of brands who have put a real focus on bold headlines heightened by the use of bright colours. This is a powerful way of pushing across your message well.

Micro-interactions

Whether it’s a swipe, hover colour, animation, or data input, micro-interactions serve the purpose of making user experience more engaging, interesting and enjoyable. We use it all the time with different applications. The “Like” feature of Instagram and “Retweet” of Twitter are the perfect examples of micro-interaction. The below examples really demonstrate how micro interactions can bring a design to life.

Porsche Car Configurator:

Facebook reactions:

Increased personalisation

With Netflix curating the shows you watch to suit your likes and Spotify knowing exactly what you want to listen to next, personalisation has become a part of our daily lives. We predict this is only going to get better in 2023.

Hyper-personalisation is expected to play a role in UX and take the field beyond just customer satisfaction. Instead, the focus is on creating a data-driven online experience that can address customer needs before they even ask for it.

Designers should create products that let users control their own experience, from dashboards to notifications to checkout options.

Spotify personalised concerts email:

Data visualisation

Data visualisation is the art of putting data into a visual context, arranging it in a composition that builds a story for the user. This has become an invaluable and expected part of user experience, since it improves how users interact with certain products and even fosters a more trusting relationship between them.

Data visualisation is already prevalent in digital marketing, but it’s expected to enter a whole new realm in 2023. The process of presenting data in easy-to-understand, visual formats like infographics is crucial for UX designers.

The annual Spotify Wrapped is a great example of this:

Designs led by AR and VR

With an enhanced digital reality on the horizon, UX design standards are bound to evolve in 2023. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR and VR) change how users interact with products and boost engagement. For example, AR has been used in eCommerce apps to let users virtually try on clothes from the comfort of their homes. This will likely retain their attention longer and provide a convenient user experience.

UX designers must keep up with these technological advancements and adapt their techniques to create the best possible customer interactions. Here is an example of how the Ikea App uses AR. It allows users to view their products and see if a product will fit in your existing environment.

Final thought

There are so many great things within the design world to get excited by this year. We expect these trends to evolve and expand in the coming year. Hopefully some of the above trends will help to inspire your thought process, get you thinking up some cool ideas, and designing awesome emails!

Are there any trends you’ve noticed this year you’d like to tell us about? We’d love to hear your thoughts over on our Twitter.