A design needs to be entertaining. A UI UX design needs to be precise, accessible, and have that special element that makes it memorable. And, in this day and age, we are surrounded by technology, whether we like it or not we are addicted to the technological advancements that occur in our daily lives. Yet, almost every new technological advancement requires a good user experience. It can be a new phone that has just been launched, a new food processor, or even a new smartwatch, all have in common the desire for a great user experience.
And, sometimes we can use certain tips and tricks in order to deliver an enhanced user experience. Think about the power that lies beneath colors and animations. How can boring UI UX designs be transformed with the help of cheerful animations that carry all the interaction? Well, with the help received from animations, we are able to bring a step forward the whole design and bring the user into an immersive experience.
UI design (user interface design) represents the visuals – how a product looks. It creates an immediate impact, and it is the first impression we make when we interact with a product. Adobe even said that 38% of users lose interest in an app or website if it lacks engagement or simply if it looks bad – that’s how important it is.
A user interface is what we see and interact with when using a digital product. It’s the touchscreen of your phone or computer. Or even your car’s touchpad to adjust the temperature or change the song on shuffle. A UI design is all about creating a pretty and interactive platform while also making sure that the product is as intuitive and visually appealing as possible.
UI animations have the ability to add visual effects to UI components and make your design interactive. Animation can create a space where every interaction we have with the web or app can feel and seem like an ongoing story. UI Animations have the ability to put us in the middle of the action and integrate us into the navigation process, a well-orchestrated show in which each and everyone feels like the showman. With the help of UI animation, we stir up our user’s attention and make sure we offer the right message.
Animations can also be used as a way of telling a story. Think about the loading spinner or about the playing bars that let you know that an action is taking place.
UI animation involves movements that can be transcribed as more powerful and meaningful than static elements and components would have had. They can vary from simple animations to full-on characters that stick with you along the way and guide users through the journey. We can receive insights, and feedback and know whether or not we are following the right path.
When Did Animations Appear?
Their debut took place for animations in the late 1890s, the father of this creation being Charles-Emile Reynaud. He created the first animation called Pantomimes Lumineuses which lasted up to 15 minutes. With the appearance of short animations, the idea became widely spread and embraced by large audiences who were eager to see what was next.
Today, we can see animations everywhere. We can have animated buttons, cards, boxes, or any component you can think of that can catchcath life and help our users follow the process more easily. We have the ability to enhance cards, highlight the ones we select, can animate text or CTA in order to pop up. The process of scrolling endlessly through a web or app will be more like a story and will help us offer a better user experience and lead to a more engaging experience.
- Use animation cautiously. Animation can bring a lot of positive effects to your UI UX design, yet, overusing animations can make your design feel cluttered and lead to a bad user experience. Usually, we encounter animations in the process of enhancing the user experience, not misleading the user from its focus.
- Stay consistent when using animations. In UI/UX design, to create a good user experience, you need to keep the design consistent and easy to scroll through as it creates a consistent visual experience for users across different pages and interactions. Think about a design that uses multiple color palettes and doesn’t have a primary color selection. When first entering a page, you are overwhelmed by all the colors and can’t spot the primary message of the digital design.
- Make the animations unique. Animations have the ability to add personality and make the product more fun and engaging. With the help of animation, we can create a connection between the user and the product we are designing.
- Find the right moment. The key moments are what you need to be looking for, as with anything you can imagine the perfect moments are what matters. Sometimes animations can level up the whole experience and make the users focus on a specific manner. However, this is not the case in all circumstances as it can slow down the process. So, find the right timing and see when your audience needs animations and when they are too much.
When used in UI/UX design, animations can make it your design feel special and add personality to it. Think about all your favorite brands and how they stand out. If the answer is with animations, study them, find out their secret recipe, and see how you can implement them into your design. Even more so, when thinking about animations you don’t necessarily need to imagine a lot of color and a playful design. You can integrate and make UI animations them your own as you can adapt them to the specific needs your project might have.
We at uinkits understand the importance of inputs in great user experiences and creating amazing UI designs. That’s why we’ve developed a Figma UI Kit with design components that include these essential UI elements that enable you to design intuitive and user-friendly interfaces effortlessly.
“You press the button, we do the rest,” – Kodak.
Inspired by this iconic tagline from Kodak, we believe in simplifying the design process for you. Our Figma UI Kit, uinkits, is a complete design system with UI components that allows you, as a UI UX designer, to create your products as quickly as pressing a button.
Our design system includes components, icons, variables, cards, buttons, and everything you need for your design process. All you have to do is take your UI design component needed, and you’re ready to use it in your designs!
