Flat design is OVER. What's next?
TLDRThe video discusses the evolution of UI design, noting that flat design has become uninteresting and is being replaced by more innovative styles. Brands like Airbnb and Shopify are leading the charge, experimenting with new design directions such as Pneumorphism and Glass Morphism. The speaker criticizes the reliance on design systems which, while efficient, have led to a lack of creativity and visually monotonous interfaces. The video encourages designers to explore new frontiers, push the industry forward, and avoid becoming obsolete by AI. It also highlights the importance of standing out with unique design elements and animations to create a memorable user experience.
Takeaways
- 🔍 **Flat Design is Losing Momentum**: The current UI design style has become boring and uninspiring, leading to a lack of innovation in the field.
- 🌱 **Innovation in Design**: Brands like Airbnb and Shopify are leading a shift back to more creative and experimental design approaches.
- 📉 **Flat Design's Drawbacks**: The simplicity of flat design has allowed less visually skilled individuals to create UIs, leading to a homogenization of design.
- ⏳ **The Evolution of Design**: Since around 2021, designers have started to experiment with new ideas, moving away from the dominance of flat design.
- 🧩 **Design Systems and Efficiency**: While design systems aim to save money through consistency and reusability, they can also contribute to a lack of creativity and uniqueness in design.
- 🔄 **The Repetitive Nature of Design Work**: Many designers find themselves in a cycle of drag-and-drop tasks, which can be demotivating and uncreative.
- 🚀 **The Need for Creativity**: There is a call for designers to push the boundaries, explore new directions, and avoid becoming mere 'drag-and-droppers'.
- 🔄 **Rising Trends**: New design trends such as Pneumorphism and Glass Morphism are emerging, offering fresh alternatives to flat design.
- 🛍️ **Brand Distinction**: Companies like Shopify are introducing new design elements to stand out and be instantly recognizable, even if they face criticism.
- 🎨 **The Future of Design**: The future of design will not be dominated by a single style; instead, it will be a blend of various elements, including schumorphic and flat design.
- ⚙️ **The Threat of Automation**: Designers who only perform repetitive tasks are at risk of being replaced by AI, emphasizing the importance of creative and experimental work.
Q & A
What is the current state of UI design according to the transcript?
-The current state of UI design is described as boring and uninspiring, with little innovation and a reliance on flat design components.
What did Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, say about the world of design?
-Brian Chesky mentioned that the world of design is changing and to stay relevant, one should keep up with these changes.
Why did flat design become popular?
-Flat design became popular because it allowed people with no visual skills to create UIs by using simple, gray wireframes and basic components.
What are some new design trends that emerged after flat design started to feel boring?
-New design trends that emerged include Pneumorphism and Glass Morphism, which reintroduce some visual depth and texture to interfaces.
What is the role of design systems in maintaining flat design?
-Design systems enforce consistent, reusable, and easily accessible building blocks, which can be drag-and-dropped to create designs, thus saving money and time.
How have some companies like Airbnb and Shopify responded to the boredom with flat design?
-Companies like Airbnb and Shopify are trying to bring creativity back into design by experimenting with new styles and elements, such as introducing skeuomorphic elements and animations.
What does the speaker suggest designers should do to avoid being replaced by AI?
-The speaker suggests that designers should explore new directions, be creative, and push the industry forward instead of just being a 'drag and dropper' or a 'figma operator'.
What is the significance of the shift towards creativity in design?
-The shift towards creativity signifies a move away from the dominance of flat design and towards more engaging, emotional, and visually interesting interfaces that can stand out and provide a better user experience.
What is the future of flat design according to the transcript?
-The future of flat design is not as the dominant style. Instead, it will coexist with other design styles, including reintroduced skeuomorphic elements, in a more diverse and creative design landscape.
Why did the speaker name specific design trends like Pneumorphism and Glass Morphism?
-The speaker named these trends to highlight the need for innovation and to make these emerging styles more accessible and easier to learn for designers.
How does the speaker describe the typical day of a designer using design systems?
-The speaker describes it as a repetitive task of dragging and dropping components onto a canvas throughout the day, with little room for creativity or innovation.
What is the implication of the statement 'design got boring visually, but didn't really get more innovative'?
-The implication is that while the visual aspect of design has become monotonous, there has not been a corresponding increase in innovative approaches or solutions to problems in the field of design.
Outlines
🔄 The Evolution and Innovation of UI Design
The first paragraph discusses the stagnation in UI design and the need for innovation. It mentions that while AI might replace certain design tasks, creativity in design is essential to stay relevant. The speaker criticizes the current flat design trend for being uninteresting and lacking innovation. Brands like Airbnb and Shopify, along with a group of senior designers, are leading a movement to bring creativity back into design. The paragraph also touches on the shift from skeuomorphism to flat design and the emergence of new design trends like Pneumorphism and Glass Morphism. The speaker encourages designers to explore these new directions to push the industry forward and avoid becoming obsolete.
🚀 Embracing Change in Design for a Diverse and Engaging User Experience
The second paragraph emphasizes the shift in design philosophy from optimizing for cost savings to creating engaging and non-boring products. It suggests that the over-optimization of design processes has led to a decline in user engagement and financial returns. The speaker predicts a change in design trends, with flat design no longer dominating the industry. Instead, a mix of skeuomorphic elements with flat design is emerging, with a focus on making key interface elements stand out through animation, texture, and unique design choices. Examples from Shopify and Airbnb illustrate this shift towards more distinctive and memorable design elements. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for designers to experiment, embrace creativity, and avoid becoming mere 'drag and droppers' or 'Figma operators,' which could be easily replaced by AI.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Flat Design
💡AI Replacement
💡Design Innovation
💡Pneumorphism
💡Glass Morphism
💡Design Systems
💡Schematic Elements
💡Schumorphic Design
💡Drag and Drop
💡Creative Roots
💡Design Paradigm Shift
Highlights
AI is predicted to replace human designers in the future, but there's a lack of innovation in current design practices.
The CEO of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, suggests that the design world is evolving and it's crucial for designers to stay updated.
Current UI design styles are considered boring and uninspiring, with a lack of progression.
Leading brands like Airbnb and Shopify are attempting to revitalize creativity in design.
Design is moving towards more interesting and innovative directions.
Designers have the choice to either continue with mundane tasks or explore new directions to push the industry forward.
Flat design has become monotonous, and there's a shift towards more emotionally resonant and artistic icons.
Before the flat design revolution, creating an interface required strong visual skills, including understanding texture, lighting, and shadows.
Flat design's simplicity has allowed less visually skilled individuals to enter UI design.
The repetitive nature of flat design has led to a uniformity that is unappealing and considered ugly by some.
In 2021, designers began to experiment with new ideas, such as Pneumorphism and Glass Morphism.
Design systems, while cost-effective, have led to a stagnation in design innovation.
The daily routine of many designers involves repetitive tasks that lack creativity.
The argument that design systems allow for more focus on problem-solving and creativity is disputed as design has become visually boring.
Companies often copy design elements from each other, leading to a lack of originality.
The future of design will not be dominated by flat design, but will incorporate a mix of styles.
Designers are encouraged to use schumorphic elements and animations to make important interface elements stand out.
Shopify and Airbnb are examples of companies that have introduced new design elements to their systems.
The design paradigm is shifting towards creativity, encouraging designers to experiment and have fun.
Designers are urged to decide whether they want to be creators or simply users of design systems.
AI may eventually replace those who perform repetitive design tasks, as these roles do not require the skills of a true designer.