Mobile App UI Design: What to Look Out For in 2024
First impressions matter, and in the world of mobile apps, the first impression is formed by the mobile app UI design. When users open an app, they immediately notice the visual elements, style, and app's mood. People can assess the design quality and the designer's creativity even without technical expertise. If the product has a poor design, users are unlikely to go beyond the home screen and explore its features. This highlights the critical importance of mobile app UI design. If you want your product to stand out and attract customers, you should entrust it to professionals with innovative thinking skills.
Key principles of top-notch mobile app UI design
Mobile app UI design is all about visual representation. It's what your customers see when they launch your application and the impressions they get from interacting with it. While all mobile apps and designs are different in nature and purpose, there are principles of great UI design that are relevant across domains.
Simplicity
In the context of mobile UI design, simplicity means minimalist elegance. It is the art of presenting complex things in a simple language and attracting customers with clarity. At the same time, designers who prioritize simplicity must navigate the fine line between amateurism and professional minimalism. They must skillfully highlight the essentials, eliminate unnecessary details, and communicate the app's idea through straightforward, high-quality design.
Consistency
Consistency in mobile application design means incorporating design elements that work well together and create a cohesive visual experience for the application. It's important for icons, buttons, and fonts to share a common origin and adhere to a consistent design style. Moreover, if your product extends beyond mobile, it's crucial to ensure the design remains authentic and recognizable across all devices.
Intuitiveness
Intuitive mobile app UI design anticipates user actions and provides familiar patterns. The design makes it easy for users to interact with the app and accomplish tasks seamlessly. To enhance intuitiveness, position specific design elements in familiar places. For example, place the menu in the top right corner or offer a cancel option right after confirmation. Additionally, ensure that design elements use appropriate colors and sizes. Highlight critical actions while making less prominent those that have minor impacts on the application when clicked.
Catchiness
Have you ever found yourself in situations where you start reading a book or watching a movie, but they fail to capture your attention? You try to push yourself to continue, hoping it will become more interesting. Well, the same doesn't apply to design. If the app's look doesn't captivate users from the first moment, it's unlikely that they will stay engaged with your product. That's why catchiness – what makes customers instantly fall in love with a product – should be your focus when creating mobile app UI design.
Accessibility
Accessibility in mobile app UI design ensures that the application is usable and inclusive for all users, including those with disabilities or impairments. It involves designing with consideration for different abilities, providing alternative text for images, incorporating proper color contrast for readability, and implementing assistive technologies support. By prioritizing accessibility and scalability, you can create an app that is accessible to a wider range of users and enhances their overall user experience.
Visuals are protagonists of the mobile app UI design story
UI design is primarily concerned with visuals. Unlike UX design, which focuses on interactions and experiences, UI design revolves entirely around the visual aspects. Of course, UX and UI are closely connected and work together seamlessly. They are two essential aspects of the same goal. However, UI design remains a distinct branch within the app development process.
The key elements that fall under the domain of UI design are discussed below.
Colors
Choosing a suitable color scheme establishes a visually appealing atmosphere and evokes emotions that align with the app's purpose and target audience. In 2024, the choice of UI color palette will be determined by specific moods and preferences.
Energy. The world is developing at a rapid pace. Each day is filled with events and emotions. People accustomed to living at a frenetic pace want to see dynamic and vibrant colors that match their life attitude. Because of this, yellow, red, blue, and fuchsia have become highly popular and frequently used as the dominant colors in the chosen color palette.
Nature. Today, people are increasingly reflecting on the importance of preserving the natural climate and the planet's flora and fauna. Brands are embracing social responsibility and optimizing their work processes to reduce carbon footprint and other harmful emissions into the atmosphere. The idea of naturalness is being promoted in all aspects of branding strategies, and mobile app UI design is no exception. As a result, calm green and blue colors are becoming increasingly common on mobile application screens.
Glamour. Expensive cars, glamorous girls, and extravagant food – these are what media resources constantly showcase and what most of us are interested in observing. Look at the social media pages of celebrities or influencers, and you'll see thousands and sometimes millions of followers watching the everyday lives of well-off individuals. Luxury attracts users like flies to honey; hence, gold, silver, and metallic colors are popular choices when creating mobile UI designs for premium brands.
Typography
Mobile design heavily relies on UX content, which includes button text, pop-up hints, form field labels, and more. Typography plays a vital role in presenting this content visually. It helps users become more familiar with the app, navigate it quickly, and understand the brand's message. However, it's vital to use typography in a restrained manner so that it doesn't distract from the written content. Nonetheless, design experts are always looking for ways to create superior mobile app UI designs and will employ various typography tricks in 2024.
Customization. Using unique custom fonts can help establish a distinct brand identity that differentiates you from competitors. App designers use custom fonts to convey personality, evoke emotions, and improve the overall user experience. To add flair to your typography, consider using icon fonts, script fonts, or handwritten fonts. You could even create a brand-new font to truly stand out and showcase your brand's uniqueness.
Variability. Incorporating various fonts in a mobile app is a daring choice that necessitates the expertise of a skilled UI designer. While a mix of fonts can attract and retain users, excessive use of this technique can make the design appear cluttered and unappealing. Achieving the right balance and ensuring that the fonts work together seamlessly is essential in creating an aesthetically pleasing and unified mobile app UI design.
Big size. The technique of using bold and oversized typography to make important messages or headings more prominent and capture users’ attention has become prevalent. It improves readability and ensures that essential information is easily digestible, even on small screens. Additionally, oversized typography adds a touch of modernity and uniqueness to the mobile app UI design, setting the app apart from competitors and giving it a fresh and innovative feel.
Icons
In mobile app UI design, icons are graphical symbols that represent actions or functions within the app. They are small, straightforward images that convey the meaning of various elements, such as buttons, navigation options, settings, and features. Icons serve as a universal language that helps users interact with the app easily, regardless of their language or background.
Some of the novel uses of icons in mobile app UI design in 2024 are:
Animation. Animated icons add interactivity and engagement to the user interface. Designers have started incorporating subtle animations into icons to provide visual feedback, create delightful interactions, and draw users' attention to essential actions. Additionally, animated icons add a layer of dynamism and responsiveness to the user experience and make the app more enjoyable to use.
Micro-interaction. Interaction is one of the modern trends that goes far from mobile app UI design. Interactive user experiences begin with communication with customer care managers and end with high-tech AI assistance. In turn, micro-interactive UI icons are part of the UI/UX puzzle based on user proactivity and active involvement.
Personalization. The application of AI algorithms in data analysis has enabled a high degree of personalization when interacting with customers across different business sectors. This also extends to mobile app UI design, where users can utilize custom cursors, gaming avatars, and modified icons. For instance, with iOS 14, users can change the home screen icons as per their preferences and requirements.
Images
Images are a critical part of UI design. They effectively convey information to the user, enhance storytelling, and motivate decision-making. Images are used to help customers understand the product or service they are purchasing. High-quality and aesthetic images act as a call to action, attracting customers and encouraging them to take action within the app. Here are some accents that designers are incorporating in their images in 2024:
Human touch. Incorporating funny, human-like features into cookies, fruits, plants, or other inanimate objects adds a playful element to the design and encourages interaction. People who are used to the stresses and endless tasks of daily life view these humanized characters as something unique and refreshing. This motivates them to engage with the app in a more relaxed manner and increases their willingness to respond to calls-to-action.
Emotions. The use of close-up photographs of people expressing strong emotions attracts users subconsciously. You know that personalized recommendations are more convincing than any advertisement. So, when customers witness the joy others feel while using a product or service, they are more likely to try it for themselves.
Inclusiveness. In an effort to be more inclusive and representative, designers are embracing diverse and authentic imagery in their app UIs. This involves showcasing a wide range of people, cultures, and backgrounds in visuals. By doing so, apps can resonate with a broader audience, fostering a sense of belonging and connection for users from different walks of life.
Buttons
Buttons are the primary interactive elements allowing users to perform various actions within the app. Buttons guide users through multiple functionalities, such as submitting a form, navigating to a different screen, confirming a selection, or initiating a process. Well-designed buttons with appropriate size, placement, and visual feedback improve usability and engagement. UI designers use various creative techniques to enhance the buttons' look and feel in 2024.
Neumorphism. Neumorphic mobile app UI design, also known as soft UI, is becoming increasingly popular in button design. This design technique utilizes subtle shadows and highlights to create a three-dimensional appearance, giving buttons the illusion of being slightly raised from the surface. Neumorphic design adds a modern touch to buttons and encourages users to interact with them.
Haptic feedback. Haptic feedback refers to small, subtle vibrations or tactile responses that occur when users interact with buttons. These responses provide immediate feedback, guiding users and reinforcing their actions. For example, a button can trigger a gentle vibration or a haptic tap when pressed. Haptic feedback boosts user engagement and makes the app feel more responsive and dynamic.
Minimalism. The old-school minimalist design remains relevant to this day. The trend involves using clean, straightforward shapes, such as flat buttons with simple outlines or solid color backgrounds. Minimalist buttons are easy to recognize and understand. As such, they enable a seamless user experience without distractions.
Gestures
Mobile devices feature a range of intuitive and effortless gesture-based interactions, including swiping, tapping, pinching, and dragging. These gestures provide a seamless and ergonomic way for users to navigate the app landscape, ensuring an organic mobile experience. By default, gestures are meant to be intuitive and unobtrusive. However, design experts can skillfully enhance mobile app UI design using various tricks with gestures.
Invisibility. Hidden or invisible gestures are not immediately visible to the user but can be discovered through exploration. This approach reduces visual clutter while providing users with additional functionality and a sense of discovery. Invisible gestures add an element of surprise to UI/UX design. Users stumbling upon these hidden interactions feel rewarded for their curiosity and exploration within the app.
Animation. Designers add subtle animations that provide visual cues when users interact with app elements. These animations improve user guidance and add fun to the user experience. In addition, they retain customers and prolong the time spent on the application.
Multi-touch. Multi-touch gestures allow users to perform complex actions using multiple fingers simultaneously. This functionality enhances user control and offers customers a seamless way to manipulate content based on their preferences. Multi-touch gestures are a landmark of modern devices.
Background
In mobile app UI design, the background refers to the area or layer behind the main content and elements on the screen. It serves as the canvas upon which all the app's user interface elements are placed. The background plays a crucial role in setting the app's overall tone and visual atmosphere. It can be a solid color, a gradient background, a pattern, an image, or even dynamic elements.
Some design tricks used in the UI of app backgrounds are:
Contextuality. Designers adapt contextual backgrounds based on user interactions or the time of day. Whether they are changing colors, patterns, or imagery, these context-aware backgrounds enhance the app's visual appeal and make the user experience more personalized, creating a dynamic and immersive journey for the users.
Illustrations. Hand-drawn artistic backgrounds and illustrations are becoming increasingly popular in mobile app UI design as they give a unique and visually appealing touch. Custom-made illustrations and artwork can represent the app's personality, making the user experience memorable and delightful. These illustrations can also help in storytelling and conveying complex ideas in a more engaging and straightforward manner.
Dark mode. Dark mode has become a popular trend in mobile UI design. It uses dark-colored backgrounds, typically black or dark gray, to reduce screen glare and improve readability in low-light conditions. The dark mode also enhances the visual appeal and gives a more elegant and sophisticated look to the app.
Layout
In mobile app UI design, the layout plays a crucial role in organizing and arranging the various elements of the interface in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. It determines the positioning, size, and spacing of different components, ensuring the content is presented logically and intuitively. Although there may be established rules for UI layout, there is still room for creativity and innovation. So, here are some app layout design tricks to watch in 2024:
Broken grids. Designers are deviating from traditional grid structures and incorporating more asymmetrical layouts. This trend adds a dynamic and unique touch to the design, resulting in a fresh and eye-catching user experience. Asymmetric UI design also generates interest among users and motivates them to explore the app further.
Overlapping elements. To enhance the layout and make it more engaging, you can add dimension by overlaying images, text, or icons. This will create a sense of layering and exploration. Additionally, the strategic placement of overlapping elements can promote continuity in user flow, guiding customers' attention from one section to another within the app.
Split screen layouts. The use of split-screen layouts is becoming increasingly popular among mobile app designers. With this layout, the screen is divided into multiple sections, allowing users to view different content simultaneously. This feature provides a multitasking experience and enables users to perform tasks side by side. Additionally, split screen layouts create a visually balanced and organized interface, which makes it easier for users to process information and interact with the app.
Responsiveness is one of the main challenges of mobile app UI design
In 2024, creating mobile app UI design means crafting dozens or even hundreds of unique designs. This is due to the vast number of mobile phones present in the global market. Just on the Android platform alone, there are around 1300 mobile device brands, not to mention Apple devices running on iOS.
Designers working on mobile UI design must adapt the app's appearance to each screen and ensure that all design elements seamlessly fit within the given dimensions. This can be incredibly challenging, as seen with the introduction of devices like the Samsung Flip, where designers must consider both screen size and integration with the folding screen.
Successful design adaptation requires a thorough understanding of phone ergonomics and how users interact with their devices. Designers must also stay agile in response to the ever-changing market landscape, delivering solutions that align with new models and emerging technologies.
Five steps to creating user-centric mobile app UI design
App designing is a creative and artistic process that doesn't tolerate off-the-shelf solutions. However, achieving high-quality mobile app UI design requires a strong grasp of design theory and the best practices in visualization and usability. At Erbis, our winning solution for each client is a structured approach fueled by innovation. Below, we present five essential steps to follow on the path to producing stylish and captivating mobile app UI design.
Step 1. Conduct user research
In-depth research allows designers to gain insights into user preferences, behaviors, and expectations, enabling the creation of user-centric mobile app UI designs. User research is an integral part of market research conducted before the app development process starts. While market research may not be a primary duty of UI designers, their active involvement in this process is beneficial. Such participation makes understanding future users, and crafting a product that captivates their attention, more achievable.
Step 2. Create user personas
Once the market and potential customers are researched and understood, it's time to create a user profile. Such a profile is called a user persona. A user persona is not just an abstract description of a non-existent person; it is a prototype of a real user with a specific name, social status, place of residence, and occupation. Creating user personas is an essential step in the design process, as it helps designers put themselves in the user's shoes and create the exact product they need.
Step 3. Develop user journey mapping
A user journey map visually represents the customer experience, aiming to identify the various paths users take within the app to reach their goals. Visualizing the users' experiences throughout their journey helps identify pain points and areas for improvement. This enables the design team to enhance the overall user experience by anticipating obstacles the users may face during the app navigation.
Step 4. Create a wireframe and prototype
You may believe that creating a black-and-white sketch isn't related to the visual aspect of UI design, but that's not true. If you aim to put the user at the center of your design strategy, you must integrate the visual elements with a user-friendly and efficient experience. Although app design involves two separate roles - UX and UI design - they should collaborate closely during the initial stages of app development, where it takes form in black and white UX wireframes or clickable prototypes.
Step 5. Conduct usability testing
The best way to find out if the user interface meets users' needs is to involve users in the app testing. Start by revisiting Step 2 - creating user personas - and find individuals from the target audience who align with these personas. If you are making a new product, you can turn to marketers to help you connect with the right people and encourage them to participate in user testing. If you are updating an existing product, you can invite loyal users to become beta testers in exchange for rewards (for example, a free subscription to a premium service).
What stands behind the perfect mobile app UI design?
The application interface plays a crucial role in the overall user experience. It guides users through the app's features, allowing them to easily interact with the program and achieve their desired results. A well-designed UI captures users' attention, keeps them engaged, and positively influences user behavior. Additionally, user-friendly design visually communicates the brand's philosophy, promotes its mission, and explains the app's mood.
Excellent UI design is vital to a successful business strategy and contributes to brand growth. But what makes the perfect UI design? What elements create its perfection?
To answer these questions, we consulted our UI experts, Anna Kornienko and Kateryna Kanaieva, and identified three fundamental pillars of state-of-the-art design:
Skillful application of design theory
Creative integration of unconventional ideas
Deep empathy for the user
Using these components in mobile app UI design opens a gateway to swift digital transformation and streamlined business success.
If you need help opening this gateway and elevating your business to new heights, request the help of mature UI design experts.
