What is Minimal UI Design?
The success of your app depends in large part on how easy it is to use. App developers have to consider the entire user experience when they develop their User Interface (UI). The UI consists of every element that people use to interact with an app.
For example, you have to consider the touch-sensitive display of a smartphone or tablet (and whether you will swipe, touch or tap an item), how the desktop appears and how icons are used to represent buttons. The UI also involves items such as a virtual keyboard that appears on-screen whenever you need to use it, help and error messages (their size, position and color) and anything else that you use to interact with your app.
UI is important from a user perspective because if the interface is clunky, non-intuitive or otherwise doesn’t work very well, you have no reason to expect people to put up with it for very long.
This is why top-notch designers will take the time to sit down with their clients to find out exactly what they want to accomplish with the app, and will research the target market to determine the best approach for the interface. You might use bright, colorful icons for an educational app designed to be used by children, while a more sophisticated font and muted tones may be more appropriate for a business app that you are creating for busy executives.
Why Should You Use Minimal UI Design?
If you want your organization’s app to stand out from the competition, it’s important to use a modern user interface that most people are used to working with. In 2013, the industry saw an increase in the popularity of minimalistic design.
This includes avoiding irrelevant 3D images with textures and shadows, bevelled edges and reflections in favor of a flat, almost stark approach that relies heavily on the principles of typography. The trend for using minimalistic design will remain constant in 2014.
Users want an app that just plain works, and they don’t need to put up with clutter on the screens of their devices, despite how “cool” a hip designer convinces them it will be.
Your app development team should emphasize developing an interface that users will immediately understand. The sooner people can start using your app and the more pleasant the experience is, the longer they will want to interact with it. The result can be increased sales and referrals and better engagement with your organization.
Benefits of Using Minimal UI Design
A flat, minimal design is easier for people to “read” and take in. A minimal UI approach will reduce or eliminate special effects such as color gradients and drop shadows behind icons. A few of the minimal design benefits are listed below.
- Screen is not cluttered with extraneous and confusing details
- Easy to understand the purpose of each element
- People can navigate the app without needing to consult a user manual
- The easier it is to use the app, the more engaged your users will be
15 Best Examples of UI Design
We make a point of keeping on top of the latest designs used in apps, and our team has identified a variety of examples that take advantage of the minimalist approach with great results. Here are the 15 best examples of UI design:
1. Web browser app from Savy Soda – Full Screen Private Browsing for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad
2. Clipbox – Scrap/Memo/Note & Organize – App for organizing images and text from haha Interactive
3. SHORTIME – Video production app developed by SympaSoft
4. nuMail – Full screen wrapper for Gmail by Giles Chanot
5. iDo Zen – Productivity app by the GraphicJungle LLC
6. PassWord Collector – App to store encrypted account information by Jia ChuanSheng
7. Social Circle – To do list with contacts app by Group Theory
8. Hexicon – Unicode shapes & symbols. App for discovering and sharing Unicode symbols by Nicholas Beaty
9. Haze – Weather forecasting app by Robotcat
10. ON/OFF – Minimalist design for puzzle app by 1Button SARL
11. MacHash News – Apple news aggregator app by MobileInfocenter
12. Moves – App to automatically track your exercise by ProtoGeo
13. Respec – Talent calculator app for World of Warcraft by Steve Kellock
14. Ootd – Outfit of the Day. Fashion app for the latest looks by Parallel LLC
15. SnelTrein – App to help you find train service by Jouke Waleson
At OpenXcell, our team of professionals is devoted to creating the best UI to meet the needs of your app’s target audience. We stay on top of the latest design trends to ensure we can offer the most popular UI approach to our clients. If you are interested in harnessing the power of minimal UI design in your next app, please contact the experts at OpenXcell today. Let us show you how you can do more with less!