Five tips to improve your UI design

Posted on 19 April, 2022 by Micheal Alexander

Many of us have heard UI design is an integral part of the design. UI or User Interface design is the one that focuses on the visuals of your product or web page. UI is focused on maximising the usability and user experience of your app or product. While UI is most often confused with UX, which is User Experience design, there are different sections of the design that tend to overlap and interact throughout the entire process. Personal Design Sprint  

Although UI deals with a plethora of elements like design research, look and feel of the product, smooth navigation and more. We have tried to incorporate five simple tips that you could use to help you navigate better throughout your design journey. We have included these five tips that will help you improve your design without overwhelming you:

Declutter

One of the key pathways to a good design is to take a simple and organised approach. With Design, less is always more. You must try to keep the interfaces as clean as possible and get rid of all the unnecessary elements from the screen. As the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth. With that being said, when there's too much happening on your screen, it's unattractive and irritating to look at. When you have too many ideas on board, nothing will catch the user's eye - even if you have some of your best pieces hanging out around there. Instead, try to keep it simple yet creative. The more, the merrier outlook does not apply in UI design. Pay attention to the details and find ways to make simple things look visually stimulating.

Don't overuse the effects

Don't you hate it when people put those unruly animations in their presentations? The annoying sound effects and animations spoil the entire meeting because sometimes people just don't know where to stop with those effects! In UI, the visual effects have their meaning that could convey depth, emphasis, contrast, hierarchy to the content. Ensure that you use these effects and their variations wisely as they can make or break your presentation even before you start. The main point is to ensure the best user experience and hence, you have to keep a close eye on all your project designs at all times.

Look, feel & consistency

When it comes to UI, the look and feel of the design is one of the most valuable aspects. There has to be a flow in your design approach for the users to get a positive and smooth experience with the website or product. There has to be consistency with the theme, fonts, typography, colors and global visuals around the interface. It should be one smooth journey for the user from the start to the end. Avoid any foreign elements that look out of place or unusually odd to be in a design. Think from a user's point of view and try to incorporate elements that will simplify the entire process.

Don't reinvent the wheel

Everybody needs to prove themselves and showcase their best work out there. However, while experimenting is an essential part of designing, you can't afford to lose valuable time in re-doing the minimal things that have already been done. You have to learn to inherit properties and create a strong foundation. You must master the basic skills and then you can start breaking some rules here and there. Use the previous prototypes to make something better and more efficient. Keep it simple and the user will thank you! Service Design UX

Stay up-to-date

Your user interface must belong in 2022. You can't be using the old tricks in the books to deal with the problems faced in today's issues. As I said previously, you should use old ideas and inventions to create something new. Make use of the research and technology to stay up-to-date in all your projects. Try to come up with modern solutions. Stay connected with the world through social media platforms and make sure you are monitoring the latest trends. Include these tips in your current designs and keep an updated portfolio all ready to go!

There are a lot of ideas and sometimes, it can get overwhelming. However, when you are in a pickle, going back to the basics, strengthening up the foundation, learning new skills will always come in handy. When creativity meets technology, you'll be a better designer. I hope these tips were helpful for you to get an idea of how you can improve your UI design for a project, client or portfolio.