“New Year, New Design trends”. . or so, we expect. Each year, web design experts have beamed their anticipation of technological ideals into the sci-fi galaxy of our dreams. Upon surviving the wild year of 2020, society has observed the significant merging between technology and everyday life.
Needless to say, 2021 is by nature of its humble novelty, a year like no other. Designers are seeking new heights of realism that blend the digital and ordinary in a way that breathes life into the world of tech. Today, physical boundaries have become a stronger norm than ever. This demands a connection between people in a void which only technology can fill.
A PARALLAX UNIVERSE
By way of its surreal efficiency, isn’t ‘magical’ what accessing the internet is supposed to feel like? Parallax Animation transforms the screen into something of a stage – pulling the user into a virtual world of greater possibility. This effect expertly mimics our perception of the real world. The extreme separation of foreground and background characterizes the Parallax effect as the summit of web-based animation complexity today.
THE ART OF ONBOARDING
While the user’s eyes scan the landing page, a user’s attention delicately tilts between intrigue and boredom. In those critical seconds, designers must influence a decision from the visitor by fostering an interactive UX. The use of questionnaires has been a key element in engaging a user based on their desires, catering products most suitable for them. Such quizzes subtly inspire a potential consumer onboard, creating personability that is so often lacking in the digital realm.
EASY ON THE EYES
As the years progress, modern society’s technological roots fix themselves deeper into our lives. We are becoming increasingly dependent on screens to navigate an overwhelming day-to-day. Along with the convenience of a world of information reflected into our faces through blue light comes downsides like insomnia and depression. In effort to remedy such pitfalls, web designers have focused on creating schemes with muted color palettes to soothe the strain on the eyes.
In our noisy world, we acknowledge Zoom Fatigue is as just one of a myriad of stressors around us. Therefore, 2020’s dark mode trend was suitable for its time, poetic in essence, as we experienced a black hole of uncertainties. This year, we expect to see a balance between the trademark ‘white screen’ media and dark mode. Designers form a middle ground by incorporating pastels and earthy colors to induce relaxation. We expect competition toward accessibility, comfort, and simplicity to illustrate the theme of 2021’s innovations in web design.
THE THIRD DIMENSION
In terms of color, the trend towards gradients has built up to this year. As a result, vibrant arrays of colors and chromatic transitions have established the third dimension to appear more lifelike than ever before. Referencing the groundbreaking cues from Apple’s Big Sur OS, we can expect saturated colors that are three-dimensionally lifelike in 2021. Casting a shadow onto the flat and bitter trends of yesteryear, this year we anticipate rounded icons and blended gradients to characterize web design trends – rising to the truest heights of realism.
A VIRTUAL REWIRE OF UI & UX
The remote characteristics that emerged from the shift to working at home have immensely influenced UI and UX trends. Technologies such as VR and AR were once segregated from the “real” world so-to-speak and were considered a thing apart – as something we’d only see in the entertainment field. However, their necessity proved essential during the Pandemic as these technologies were called into the education and healthcare fields, among others. Brick and mortar companies were determined to re-create personability through means only possible through VR. By that fact, we can assess that VR is a newly appreciated facet of technology that is progressing rapidly into the new age.
Air Gesture Control is a concept that built traction with the advent of touchscreens. The name implies its functionality; translating mid-air haptic feedback through touchless gestures over a device that ideally offers greater accuracy than physically touching a screen. With the world evolving into a space where we are more cautious than ever of physical interaction with the outside world, we expect this feature to boom in 2021 and onward.
Voice interactions are another classic, touchless feature of UI/UX trends. This trend experienced a jolt forward in the technological leap of 2020, sophistication increasing with demand. Often characterized through use of chat-bots and virtual assistants which communicate through voice commands: incorporating a voice UI into a design will certainly expand its reach to clients. It is only a question of time when we will witness the standard of all companies employing complete VUI and AGC in the future.
A WEB FOR THE CAUSE
The beauty of the digital world is its ability to bring people together instantaneously. The inherent need for social integration was only exacerbated by the Covid-19 Pandemic and the shelter-in-place orders. As people have been socially distancing, entertainment venues have modified their structures to better suit our increasingly virtual world. In 2020, a surge in demands for web access launched almost too quickly for tech professionals to navigate. This year, we will move into a more socially aware environment, where people will spend more time on the web. As users seek to exchange opinions and Ideas – we anticipate seeing more designs associated with social movements. 2021 will be a year for designers and consumers alike to speak and be heard. As brands seek to connect with people on deeper levels, efforts will likely focus on personal virtues and the impact they will have on communities.
THANKS FOR READING!
2021’s web design trends will be focused less on innovating us into the stars with the illustrious special effects of a sci-fi flick, and more on integrating features equal to those we’d see in everyday life. At Seamgen, we recognize how increasingly important digital design has become. Web trends seemingly shift with the winds; stay grounded by subscribing to our newsletter to receive the latest tech updates. How do you imagine the future of your web design plans and what can we do to make that a reality? Reach out to us for more information.
