You will find most flat design UI quite simple and clean, but it requires care to make sure that the user know what he/she has to do. The difference between static and clickable area should be visible. Since it doesn’t have the helping hand of dimensions or subtle clues, flat designs particularly depend upon very strong hierarchy. Moreover, flat designs need to be structured so that user finds the relevant information at the correct position.
Flat design has been here for the longest times. But, in recent years organizations are showing increasing liking for it. It has witnessed many changes since its existence, but there is something more to this recent liking of companies towards flat website design. Let’s take a look at factors driving this change.
Skeuomorphism
For the ones not familiar with the word Skeuomorphism- it describes the web and device interface similar to the past. It details about how designs are adopted from the real world so as to connect the digital world. For instance, calendar page featuring metal rings, buttons with a press-able look, and shadow to make it look like real paper, as well as the shutter sound heard while clicking a photo from smartphone. These metaphors can be encouraging if used appropriately, otherwise they can spoil the design. In recent years the digital world has more openly accepted flat website design which has lead to a more exciting digital experience.
Growth of Flat Design Language
Though flat design is not a new concept, but it is because of Microsoft Windows 8 that it has become talk of the town again. Highlights, shadows, textures, and gradients that we have seen in iOS apps have been eliminated from Windows 8. Instead it utilized the areas of flat color with some eye-catching graphic icons and strong typography. The leading social networks Google, Facebook, and others have already developed liking for this designing sensibility.
Flat designs evolved because of the need to develop responsive websites. Sites that provide optimum viewing experience on both desktops and mobile devices with faster loading and scalable interfaces.
It more because of the technologies using alluring fonts on web pages along with high definition computer screens that designers are able to design much better sites and apps.
Since these sites and interfaces have to support the escalating functionalities, clearing the disorder and design with minimal disturbance is highly important. Addition of unnecessary elements into the frame causes distraction. With flat design the focus remains on the content.
Disadvantages of Using Flat Design
Implementing flat design requires expertise to develop well-executed flat designed sites. Developing an intuitive site brings its own set of challenges. Flat buttons make it difficult for user to recognize which buttons is clickable.
Moreover, you cannot give a look to your website that resembles some other website. This is not at all please the user and result in drop in engagement time. It’s advisable to designers to use less of templates and more of creativity while designing the UI. Therefore, if you go for flat design make sure it is fresh and not similar to another website only then you can capture the attention of the user. Also, the design should replicate the personality of your brand.
At the End
Flat design is a trend that is here to stay, though with the advancement of time we might witness a hybrid of flat design. Moreover, with CSS3 breaking new grounds in terms of designing styles, it has given a great opportunity to make skeuomorphic design minus background image a reality.