5 UI/UX design trends in practice

Development of a unique style and focal points.

In the rapidly changing digital world, it is tempting to blindly follow the latest UI/UX design trends to stay relevant and appealing. However, instead of just following, we believe it is essential to create our own quality standards and vision. Trends can certainly inspire and contribute to well-functioning products and user experiences, but they should not guide our creative process. Rather, we focus on developing our unique style and focal points based on the needs of the target audience and clients. By emphasising our own vision and expertise with which we achieve clients' goals, we stand out and achieve success. Anyone can follow, but it is our unique approach that really makes the difference.

Bold typography: the impact of bold fonts.

Bold typography continues to be a prominent UI/UX design trend this year. While subtle fonts are increasingly fading into the background, big, bold letters are taking over. This striking typography immediately grabs the attention of visitors and users, making it a powerful tool in design.

Why bold typography works:

• Attract attention: bold typefaces stand out immediately, ensuring that the most important message is not overlooked.

• More contrast: bold typefaces, combined with the right use of colour, create strong contrast, which improves readability. Especially on screens with different resolutions and lighting conditions.

• Clear hierarchy: by using bold typography, you can create a clear visual hierarchy. This helps users navigate through content quickly and efficiently and identify the most important information.

At Cube, we strategically use bold typography to enhance the user experience. Some examples of where we implement this trend include:

• Landing pages: to highlight key call-to-actions and unique selling points.

• Navigation menus: for a clear and intuitive user interface, clearly highlighting the most important sections of the website.

• Product descriptions: to make the usps and specifications of products stand out immediately.

By integrating Bold Typography into our designs, we ensure that the most important information always stands out and the user experience remains consistent and attractive.

Parallax effect: depth and dynamism in design.

Back on the scene! The parallax effect makes designs more visually appealing by creating depth and bringing your design to life. This effect, in which the background moves slower than the foreground while scrolling, creates a dynamic and immersive user experience.

Why the parallax effect works:

• Visual depth: the parallax effect creates an illusion of depth, giving a flat design a more three-dimensional look.

• Dynamic interaction: by subtly applying movement, it makes the user more engaged with the content and maintains attention for longer.

• Strengthened focus: this effect can draw attention to specific elements or sections of your design, helping to highlight important information.

Cube uses the parallax effect to enhance its designs and improve the user experience. By applying the parallax effect subtly and strategically, we can create designs that are not only visually appealing, but also functional and user-friendly.

WebGL/3D: enriching digital experiences.

The use of WebGL and 3D elements on websites is increasing, integrating increasingly complex and dynamic objects. This trend not only enhances the visual experience of a website, but also helps clarify information and create immersive interactions.

Why WebGL/3D works:

• Strengthened visual impact: 3D elements attract attention and make a website more striking and memorable.

• Improved information delivery: complex concepts can be explained in a visually appealing way, making the message clearer.

• Improved user experience: dynamic 3D objects can enhance user interaction, making the overall experience more engaging and appealing.

At Cube, we use WebGL/3D to take our designs to the next level. Some examples of how we have applied this trend are:

• Phageguard website: in 2023, we made Phageguard's website more attractive through 3D models of phages. These models provide a visually impressive presentation and enhance the brand experience.

By strategically integrating WebGL and 3D elements, we create websites that are not only visually appealing, but also functional and informative.

Micro-interactions: the power of small animations

Micro-interactions, short animations that last no longer than a second, have become an essential part of modern digital experiences. Whether on websites, apps, platforms or elsewhere, we encounter them everywhere. It is the subtle details that enrich the interaction between user and interface and improve the overall user experience.

Why microinteractions work:

• User engagement: micro-interactions capture the user's attention and invite interaction, increasing engagement.

• Feedback mechanism: they provide immediate feedback to the user, for example when clicking a button or filling out a form, improving the usability of an interface.

• Emotional impact: by applying micro-interactions, designers can convey emotions and create a personal and enjoyable user experience.

We integrate micro-interactions to enhance the user experience and take our designs to the next level. By applying micro-interactions, we create not only functional interfaces, but also engaging and memorable digital experiences that meet the expectations of the modern user.

Dark Mode: hoe donkere interfaces web accessibility verbeteren.

Originally, dark themes were used in software to reduce visual impairments. Today, this has evolved into what we now know as dark mode, an almost standard option where users can switch between light and dark interfaces. This trend started with operating systems for phones, for example, which wanted to make their products more accessible. Apps for iOS soon followed, and now dark mode is common among app developers.

Why Dark Mode is important:

• Useability: Dark Mode can increase users' comfort, especially in low-light environments, and can reduce eye fatigue.

• Battery saving: on devices with OLED displays, dark mode can extend battery life, as dark pixels consume less power.

• Aesthetics: many users prefer the sleek, modern look of dark mode, which can contribute to a better user experience.

Is Dark Mode a must-have?

You might ask: 'Does dark mode make a product better?' The immediate answer is no, it does not necessarily improve the functionality of the product. However, it does make sense to offer dark mode. Since many app developers have already implemented this option, products without dark mode can quickly be considered obsolete.