We are living in the midst of exciting times. Drones are delivering packages, robots are welcoming visitors at stores and cars are driving themselves. While technological advancements open amazing new possibilities for humans, they also bring to life brand-new problems that need to be solved. With so many technological advances occurring simultaneously, it’s difficult to keep up with what’s happening around us.
One area that is particularly vibrant right now is UI (user interface) design. Standing for “User Interface,” this term refers to screens or devices designed to serve as an intermediary between users and computers or machines. The future of web design isn’t about the advancement of new tools and technologies. It’s about the UI professional’s ability to apply human-centered design. Since every element on the screen can be thought of as a form of communication between user and machine, UI designers must think very carefully about the correct way to display information so that users can quickly and seamlessly access what they need.
Evolution of UI design
In this way, UI designers have a tremendous impact on the overall user experience. When people interact with websites or apps, their first impression is based almost entirely around how easy (and enjoyable) it is to navigate through these systems. People want to complete tasks as quickly as possible and move on with their day; if they’re forced to struggle in order to accomplish something as simple as turning off an alarm clock each morning, then they’ll likely be much more frustrated than if someone were to simply forget about the alarm and miss their first meeting of the day!
This article aims to discuss some important UI design trends emerging right now and those we can expect to see in 2022. Whether you’re a UX designer, CEO, or entrepreneur – these UI design trends inform all of us about the current and near future direction of how we can expect to interact with our devices.
These leading interface design trends will be an integral part of how machines communicate with humans in the near future. Also, these new features have been made possible by advances in technology. Just remember that these are just predictions which depend on many technological advancements that would come our way by then.
Leading UI Design Trends To Follow In 2022
1) Dark Mode
Dark UI or low-contrast interface is becoming increasingly popular among end users because it’s less harsh on eyes and helps you focus on your work more efficiently by limiting distractions from other visual elements on the screen.
Most designers tend to prefer white interfaces with high contrast elements for their projects, but the increasing demand for dark web design proposes an opportunity for UI/UX designers who can successfully implement it in web applications. The user interface design trend of having a dark theme or night-mode is very trendy now because it saves battery power on phones with OLED screens (most new iPhone models), lets you focus more on reading (especially at night), and saves your eyes.
Many apps like Google Maps, YouTube, Twitter, Pocket, Facebook Messenger Lite now have their own dark versions.
There will be constant design trends in 2022 as well; UX designers should stay aware of these changes to create practical designs for their own projects. I’ve compiled a list of six UI design trends that I believe will gain momentum over the next few years.
2) Login Without Passwords
Login without passwords. Anything but password-protected interfaces will be the new trend that all major companies such as Apple and Facebook are already working on. MDM solutions [i.e. mobile device management] will grow to replace current login protocols for enhanced security and ease of access for users, while biometrics becomes a thing of the future in identifying and verifying individuals for login purposes.
As facial recognition technologies become more accurate and prevalent in the future, the security system of our smart devices will have a new competitor to contend with. Login without passwords or PINs could become a reality within the next 5 years — imagine unlocking your phone just by holding it up to your face.
Currently, most online apps require a username and password for login before they can be used. In the next few years, new authentication methods will become more popular, such as face recognition technology and voice identification. Usernames and passwords are quick to type in but not very secure. Users can easily forget their passwords or have them guessed by hackers who use malware on their computers to copy keystroke data from the device while it is being typed onto a keyboard. Biometric security measures like face recognition and voice identification have been used for some time now but have only just started becoming accepted by users of mobile devices that support these features.
3) Virtual Reality
The importance of VR cannot be overstated; we cannot expect to see the same kind of interface changes in 2022 as we do today if there were no advances made in this technology by then. From an average household item, VR is set to become a mainstream element that will influence how we interact with objects and each other.
Virtual Reality is currently one of the most trending UI design elements, and it will continue to dominate in 2022. Among all virtual reality headsets available in the market, Oculus Rift is a leader for its outstanding quality. It provides a much wider view than other head-mounted displays, which can make users feel like they are actually present in a real environment.
By connecting the device to social media platforms such as Facebook or Skype , Oculus Rift helps users have immersive experiences with others from all over the world when playing games or when watching videos. This type of interaction creates new challenges to today’s UX designers since people don’t just interact with content but also with each other through technology . In terms of UI design itself, this technology will lead to more creative interface designs due to the requirement of effective communication between users.
4) Storytelling
Augmented Reality [AR] will enable the creation of a new type of user-interface that is more immersive, engaging and interactive. With AR guiding users through interactions with devices as part of the storyline, product experiences will become more compelling as they are developed to immerse rather than inform customers about their products. Brands set out to tell stories using digital technology need to make those stories more useful by giving people what they want from those stories: an amazing experience.
Animated visuals are becoming more mainstream than ever, particularly among youth aged 18-24, who reportedly spend more on animated movies than on any other category. While storytelling isn’t exactly new for brands who utilize animated infographics to give their viewers interactive information on concepts like how an engine works or what is involved in HVAC systems , 2022 will see informational animations becoming far more polished and modern. By 2022, you’ll be seeing contextual 2D/3D animations incorporated into your favorite websites and apps.
As design moves away from paper manuals towards consumer products with self-explanatory interfaces, it becomes important to guide users through a product’s functionality and features in user interface design. Storytelling is a powerful tool for this kind of guiding, especially when used together with an interactive medium like a digital product
5) Go bright and bold
While it may not be anything new to those who follow technology news closely, it’s certainly interesting to see what trend is currently emerging as one of the most popular for 2017: dark-colored screens! Although OLED screens have been around for quite some time now (arguably since late 2012), they’ve recently become much more affordable and efficient at allowing devices like smartphones and tablets to display bright colors without drawing too much power from their batteries. Instead of using bright colors on a white background (which now seems to be a thing of the past), colorful icons and images now pop out with ease on dark screens.
UI’s need not be dull or depressing; it would not be surprising if bright and cheerful colors started becoming popular again in 2022 just like past decades, when interface designs had bright hues, flat design elements and colorful backgrounds. Colorful interfaces stimulate the senses and help set the mood for interactions with websites and applications. Sites that aren’t aesthetically pleasing or “feel” right may be avoided or abandoned by users who prefer pleasant visual experiences over unpleasant ones. Bright colors such as red, orange, green and yellow can capture attention easily while pastel colors make for soothing interaction experiences which often lead people to explore further into an application.
6) Air Gesture Control
Just like movies, our interaction with digital media should be natural, fluid and immersive. Air Gesture Control is the next generation of pointing which involves hand movement in front of a device to interact. Without needing to touch your device’s display, you could control it with gestures in the air. This makes it effortless for users to switch tasks on their screen without having to reach out for their devices’ hardware buttons or touchscreen. Instead of pressing physical buttons, imagine changing between different menu options by waving your hand over the interface like “Star Wars”‘ Jedi-inhabited universe. With 2020 around the corner, 2022 is bound to showcase interfaces that make use of augmented reality systems, such as Microsoft HoloLens and Google Glass — making them a significant UI trend in 2022.
Let’s face it, front-facing cameras aren’t always reliable enough to recognize our movements with 100% accuracy — but don’t let that discourage you! We’ve seen many modern smartphones offer users hands-free control over their devices through the use of facial recognition and image projection (essentially, projecting an image or animation onto your face so that your device can track said projected object). Sure these features may not seem all that useful at first glance, but who knows? The future might just surprise us!
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with this!
The perfect blend of technology and design will help you reach a whole new audience in 2022. Follow these trends to keep your business on top next year no matter what sector it’s located within: furniture manufacturing, clothing manufacturers or personal care products suppliers – all are potential customers for innovative designs made possible through these UI design trends.
Guest article written by: 
Khurshid Alam is the founder of Pixel Street, a web design company. He aspires to solve business problems by communicating effectively digitally. In his leisure, he reads, writes, and occasionally plays a game of table tennis.