In the constantly changing world of digital technology, apps are becoming more powerful, but also more crowded with information and distractions. In response to this, the concept of minimalism has emerged as a powerful way to improve usability, engagement, and overall satisfaction. Minimalist User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design gradually play a crucial role in determining how people interact with websites and applications. Minimalism aims to remove unnecessary elements and simplify interactions, making them easier to use and reducing the cognitive effort required.
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci
By prioritising essential content and functionality, minimalist design empowers users to navigate digital platforms with ease and efficiency.
How Did Minimalism Evolve to Digital Designs?
Minimalism has its origins in the early 20th century and is influenced by different art movements that emphasise simplicity, clarity, and the use of basic geometric forms. Notable figures like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in architecture and Buckminster Fuller in industrial design were among the pioneers of minimalist design principles.
The minimalist movement gained significant attention and popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. During this period, artists and designers favoured simple geometric forms, objective meanings, and a departure from the complexities of previous styles. As a result, the minimalist aesthetic had an impact not only on fine art but also on architecture, product design, and eventually graphic design.
With the emergence of digital design and the web, minimalist principles continued to shape the development of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design.
Advantages of Minimalist Designs in UX/UI
Improved Usability
It is helpful to regain user focus on designated tasks by simplifying the user interface and eliminating unnecessary elements and clutter. This prioritises the most essential features and content, making it easier for users to find what they need and complete their tasks efficiently. By removing distractions, it reduces cognitive load and allows more focus on core functionality.
Increased User Engagement
Minimalist designs are helpful for users as they utilise clear typography, limited colour schemes, and ample white space, making it easier for users to scan and absorb information. This design philosophy helps reduce decision fatigue and increases user engagement. If an app appears easier to use, users are more likely to engage with it.
Improved Brand Image
A clean design enhances a product's visual appeal and modernity while projecting a professional brand image. Just a quick example, which appears more professional to you?
Well, if this did not convince you, here's the full history for the ultimate example.
While these were impressive web designs back in the day, they look unprofessional in today’s standards. To remedy this, Apple made a great shift in its website focus by utilising minimalist designs. They redesigned their website by removing all by-product ads from the front page, bringing focus to their featured product. This also introduced professionalism to their brand image. And guess what? Starting from 2000 when they decided to utilise minimalism in their web designs, Apple became one of the biggest markets in the world.
5 Examples of Minimalist Designs in UX/UI
Google Search
Comparing the search pages of Google and Microsoft side by side, Google has done an excellent job in terms of user experience. The white theme of Google's search page highlights its logo at the centre of the page, leaving a better brand impression to users when compared to Microsoft Bing search. Microsoft's logo, on the other hand, is located at the top left corner.
Google's search engine has effectively utilised white spaces and centralised all search functions in the centre. Making it easy for users to visually locate the search bar since it is the only option presented on the screen. Unlike Microsoft, where several options are presented, Google's search engine presents a simpler and more efficient design.
Bēhance
The white cover with coloured headlines brings focus and instils confidence in the Bēhance brand.
The Bēhance website features a diverse array of creators from around the world, each with their own unique style. Harmonising these disparate design styles on a single webpage without causing visual discord is a challenging task. However, Behance has achieved a commendable balance, enhancing the artwork showcased on the website. The white background and borders between artworks provide a visual respite that fosters a harmonious interplay between the different styles. This design choice effectively directs the user's attention to individual artwork rather than the collection as a whole.
The artwork captions are also impressively succinct. Ample, but just enough, which invites users to further click into their interested projects.
DONE
The DONE app is a great example of simplicity and minimalism in app design. Its sole focus is to help users accomplish tasks through a task list. The app uses simple line icons, a grey background, and colourful task colours and icons to draw users' attention to their tasks. The app is designed to provide easy navigation, and it does so by separating tasks based on time. A simple menu bar and consistent design with a white and grey colour scheme make it engaging to users.
The DONE app demonstrates that simplicity can make user navigation easier even without labels for icons and functions.
Ready
Another example of simplicity and minimalism in complexity is Ready. Although they have been shut down, and shifted to Strut :(, Ready and Strut’s website are good models that embrace the "less is more" philosophy. It consolidates all its features on a single landing page with a clear call to action -- "get ready." The website's simplicity stands out with its minimalist design and images, providing clear navigation for potential customers to find the information they need.
Through their innovative use of a homepage with minimal copy, memorable imagery, a pleasant colour scheme, and playful highlighting of essential information, Ready achieves what many competitors fail to do -- marketable usability.
Conqr
We've looked at several examples of using white space in minimalist designs, here comes another example showing that minimalistic designs also function effectively with dark themes.
The Conqr website’s black background creates a striking effect. The website is not only simple but also lightweight in terms of imagery. Despite having loads of high-profile examples to showcase, the agency has only included six portfolio photos, and each photo only takes up about a third of the screen. This demonstrates how minimalism compels designers to be more selective about what they include and what will have the greatest impact on visitors.
Simplicity is a Tool
While exploring various minimalist designs, we’ve also concluded some tips that are useful in minimalist designs:
Be aware of hierarchy principles
In minimalist design, it's important to establish a clear hierarchy of information. This helps users understand the importance and relationship between different elements on the screen. Use size, colour, and placement to guide users' attention to the most important content.
Find the focus of your content
You want to ensure your users can easily find what they need and complete their tasks efficiently. Prioritise essential information and avoid cluttering the interface with unnecessary elements. Then you will end up with a clean and streamlined design that allows users to navigate with ease.
Set up your story
Setting up a story before starting a minimalistic design can help create a cohesive and meaningful user experience. A story helps to establish a clear direction and purpose for the design, guiding the designer towards creating elements that support the narrative. It also helps to create a sense of context for the user, making the experience more engaging and memorable.
Use lines to guide
At times, an overly simplistic approach can be difficult to understand. In this case, consider using lines to direct the reader's attention. Thin lines or conceptual lines drawn from visuals and pictures can serve this purpose effectively.
Finally, be calm while designing
Well, your design always reflects your mind. So be calm, and clear your mind to minimal.
We are Redesigning Our Website with a White Theme!
FONSEKA is currently in the process of redesigning our webpage with a new white theme! We are thrilled to see how this redesign will enhance our brand. Meanwhile, we offer user-centred UX/UI designs and app development services all in one place. This means that you can have your app's brand, logo, and UX/UI designed, developed and supported with us hassle-free! It’s just that simple! Visit fonseka.com.au and get in touch today!