• May 28, 2022

Top 10 Elements in App UI Design

The elements of the application are like the customer service staff of your company. They speak the language of your app in a simple way. They act as tour guides to the various application windows, proposing action items, and keeping users company while some items load. They diligently welcome input from customers, also known as app users. The following are the top 10 app UI elements selected by us:

icons
Your app icon is the face of your app (and acts as a brand logo if your app goes iconic!). It should be simple, noticeable, and clearly represent your application. The same goes for the rest of your app icons. They are extremely useful if creatively yet intuitively designed to represent different functions in your application.

Buttons
A button typically appears raised from the background and can have icons or text as its components. Buttons come in various types: simple button, dropdown button, toggle button, checkboxes, radio buttons, and the like. All of these, especially call-to-action buttons, need to be thoughtfully designed and placed.

search fields
Search fields are usually at the top of the screen and play a vital role in user navigation. They must be visible and it is recommended to place an attractive default question to encourage the user to take action. A good example is the destination search/input box in Uber, which has a default question: Where to? It makes the app friendly and interactive and makes it clear that a destination must be entered in the search box/field.

Breadcrumbs
As the name suggests, the breadcrumbs represent where you have strayed from the home page. They indicate the current location and all previous pages opened by the user. This is visible as a series of page titles intersected by arrows that describe the user flow.

Notifications
There are two types of notifications: in-app notifications and push notifications. While the former increases ease of use by helping the user better utilize the app’s features, the latter keeps the user coming back for more. Examples of notifications in the application are the introduction to the use of the application and new functions. Push notifications are similar to in-app notifications, except that they reach the mobile phone user even if the app is not open.

Tool Tips
A tooltip is an incredibly useful item. Appears when the user scrolls to an item and quickly provides additional description or usage tips. It denotes attention to user needs and adds to the app experience.

popups
You may not like them, but used sparingly and with the goal of benefiting the user, they can be a real asset. They capture and hold the user’s full attention to focus on an important offer or message. The popup does not close until some action has been taken within it.

Loading elements and placeholders
These, along with other elements such as icons, are part of micro interactions, a simple and visual way of representing a process and its completion to the user. The idea is to give real-time feedback to the user regarding whatever function the application is performing. An example of a loading element is the typical circle of dots blinking one after another, often found when a YouTube video is buffering. A placeholder is something that contains an empty space or screen while the full content loads. It often has blurred outlines of content about to load or partial content.

tags
Tags are terms attached to certain items that make searching easier. This element is a must, especially if your application manages a large database.

carousel of images
Now, don’t we enjoy all those images with dazzling one-line descriptions that slide off to reveal another before we tire of one? That is exactly what an image carousel is. It is certainly a must have for e-commerce applications.

What do you think of the above list? Please let us know if you would like to add or replace the above items with something else.

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