A UI (User Interface) designer probably knows how challenging it is to come up with an interface design that is functional, attractive, and easily implementable. The following design tips will help you simplify the Visual design process.

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Do you ever feel stuck when it comes to design? Your UX (User experience) graphic design process may have become monotonous, with the same designs being used repeatedly over time. Perhaps it is time to take a relook and try innovative things. The design of user interfaces plays an important role in connecting users to a website or product. For successful corporate branding, your visual design must be intuitive, engaging, and informative.

Today, research shows that the majority of business enterprises (73%) invest in visual designs for creating a strong brand presence and standing out against the competition in the digital world.¹About 80% of Small and Medium Enterprises attribute their success to graphic design.²A very high majority of global digital Marketers (98.3%) consider Visual design key to their marketing strategy.³

The visual design has a tremendous impact on the human brain due to its aesthetic value and emotional appeal and holds the key for brands to leave a lasting impression in their customer’s minds. As Science shows that the human brain loves visuals as it processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text.⁴

A well-designed user interface increases the chances of conversions significantly and is an essential part of creating inspiring and engaging user experiences. A high majority of customers (92.6%) consider visuals holding the Top position in influencing their purchasing decision. However, maximum customers (90%) leave a website solely due to poor website visual design/UX.⁶

Understanding the concept of visual design

Visual design is a blend of UI and graphic design where visual aesthetics are created to convey a certain idea or emotion to the audience in a way that connects with them. This is a nonverbal communication tactic that aims for immediate understanding.

The term design refers both to the process and to the product created as part of this process. It is a component of User Experience (UX) that plays an important role in delivering a successful user experience for an application or website. In order to achieve this, you need to implement visual design components such as color palettes, typography, layout, imagery, and more.

Creating visual graphic designs for a website or product encompasses a wide variety of different ideas and skills, making it difficult to determine what exactly is important. As visual design has become increasingly important, UX has become more crucial as a way to provide visuals that are appealing to target audiences.

As part of visual design, text, images, and colors are used to improve design and interaction. The interface is designed so that users can easily find the information they need. Accordingly, visual designers assign priority for content based on size, color, and negative space. You can also incorporate interesting elements into the application design. An attractive user interface should also feature clear animation effects.

Using the visual design elements effectively

Lines, shapes, colors, textures, and patterns are all visual elements or artistic elements that form the basis of any type of visual communication. By themselves, the terms denote little meaning, but they can communicate a lot once you start blending them. Their effective interactivity brings together life concepts into design forms. An effective visual design can create a better user experience by encouraging users to feel more engaged.

Let’s look at the important factors you should keep in mind for delivering a great visual design.

1. Be consistent in your design – Any design, no matter how beautiful, will easily become unusable if there is inconsistency. The user must spend more effort and time learning how to make the product look consistent in look and feel, across the medium. As a result, visual design is more than just making the user interface look good. A product needs to be beautiful, as well as be coordinated and consistent. An important part of this process is developing a style guide and rules that would be applied to the design.
2. Color – A color is the most important element of emotion, but it does not exist in isolation. Using different colors is just a way of evoking diverse kinds of emotions.  Neutral colors (black, white, gray) have no significant effect as they do not evoke any emotion in isolation. The users are stimulated more by warm colors (red) or can be soothed down by cool colors such as blue. Therefore, based on the efficacy of a combination of color palettes, it is possible to increase the impact of your website or product by using the right color combinations.
3. An organized visual hierarchy on each page – Visual hierarchy is an effective means of displaying elements on a page or screen and attracting people’s attention. Information is conveyed clearly, and the user’s attention is drawn to important functions by a clear visual hierarchy. It is even more crucial on the online medium to engage the user because your competitor’s website can be viewed within seconds for a comparative view. If a user does not find what he wants on your website, he will leave and never come back.
4. Make sure you follow brand guidelines and tone – Different industries use images in different ways specific to their business streams. After browsing through the homepage for a few seconds, a user judges the reliability of the website. It is therefore important that you position your brand consistently in tune with the corporate guidelines and messaging and in the same business category as your direct competition.
5. Respect negative space – Negative space or white space is the free space between design elements. It is a really important element of UX and thus should not be wasted. In the current fast-paced contemporary society, people want to locate things in the quickest possible way. Therefore, your product page should include all the information that the visitors need. Make sure you simplify the language and clarify the most valuable information for your visitors. In this case, Negative space can make a big difference by allowing users’ brains to process new information. Just, the right amount of whitespace can make even the messiest interfaces look inviting and impressive. Consequentially you should leave space between your lines and elements for visual relief.

In terms of visual elements, there are a plethora of options available in the market that offer high versatility and variety. You should test each technique and don’t be afraid to try more than one to be innovative.

Conclusion

Are you having a hard time coming up with a design solution? Is your current design confusing your users? Then, we have the answer to your problems! SBL is an IT solutions provider that aims to assist companies with their digital transformation goals. As experts in UX design, we provide a thorough analysis of your site, app, or product’s UI. Our solutions focus on both user experience and business value.

Contact our Software division to know more.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the basics of visual design?

The basic elements of visual design include Line, negative/white space, shape, volume, color, value, and texture. Before you begin creating visual designs it is crucial to gain a good grasp of the basics and anatomies of visual design.

What are the 7 principles of design?

The 7 principles of design include Emphasis, Contrast, Balance and Alignment, Proportion, Repetition, Movement, and White Space. These principles form the guidelines for all types of design and should be taken care of while designing UI.

What are the 4 visual design principles?

The 4 visual design principles are Contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity. Adhering to these principles allows visual designers to create the best user experience.

What are the examples of visual design?

Great visual design will help to improve the appeal of digital interfaces and make them more user-friendly. The visual design would include various types such as motion graphics, websites, stock images, comic books, and video games. 

How do you become a good visual designer?

Visual designers must have a good understanding of the design principles and how to apply the principles to their designs. It is important to have knowledge about the usage of the elements, like color theory and typography, and how to make the designs user-friendly. Visual designers need extensive experience and knowledge of the field and contemporary trends and practices. The key to becoming a good designer is not just in the knowledge of the tools, but also in understanding the purpose of the design and its right application.

Sources:

1.WebFx, 2. 99designs, 3. Venngage, 4. T-Sciences, 5. Kissmetrics, 6. Finances Online

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