Plain vs simple in product design

A simple design takes away unnecessary functions, including text, CTA’s, images etc. The user should still achieve their goals but not be bombarded by visual and written content.

The goal of design is to make it straightforward and engaging without making it dull.

Letting items breathe on a page is a must when designing minimalist designs.

Apple is an excellent example of the quote “less is more” and showcases that their design is the product itself, not the website. They have confidence in their product to let it speak for itself, a very successful strategy.

Cognitive load is the amount of information our working memory can hold at any time. An overload of information can drive users away instead of drawing them in. Not everything has to be laid out on the landing page of a website; that is why menus exist. The information stays hidden unless and until the user chooses to interact with it.

This way of progressively disclosing information to the user helps minimize the visual clutter and make the product simple to use.

Choice can be overwhelming for everyone. As mentioned earlier, when speaking about cognitive load, the amount of information our working memory can hold is limited. Hicks Law states that the more stimuli (or choices) users face, the longer it will take them to make a decision. Make it easier for your user and limit the choice.

Illustrations and animations in empty areas can entirely enhance designs and make them much more enjoyable. We crave visuals, and hence animations are much more entertaining. These are great to make monotonous screens more interesting.

• Telling your user about notifications? Add a bell animation.
• It’s a skill to tell your user information with a few words. So instead of writing paragraphs of text, include engaging visuals.

Using more than two typefaces can make design in-cohesive and messy. Instead, add different weights (light, regular, bold) and sizes of the same font to make it more attractive.

Beyond that, play around with the layout, fill the negative space with text and images.

Accent colours are always helpful to draw attention to certain areas, CTA’s or menu bars/functions.

Using a lightly coloured background that complements your accent colours can make everything pop.

Understanding colour theory has its benefits. For instance, instead of using white as a background, using a light tint of orange can make your other accents of orange pop.

Using light tints of colours can create depth in your designs and as discussed earlier, layers are interesting to the eye.