Summary: Flat Design has become an industry-standard approach to UI/UX Design with Microsoft, Apple and Google all backing Flat UI styles. Flat Design's minimalism aims to bring visual breathing room to a design by eliminating visual clutter and chrome (UI extras). The problem with this approach is it is easier to imagine than to execute with maximum usability intact. In this post we will discuss some of the common pitfalls in designing Flat or Flat 2.0 Design.
Minimalism needs to balance with function. This is particularly challenging for Visual or Graphic designers who can embrace minimalism at the cost of hiding UI signals, "information scent" or triggers for user action. A few years ago this led to the "Flat 2.0" update to the approach, which seeks to minimize yet allow UI's to be perceived and used.
Do you ever move your apps around on your smartphone? Or do you ever move furniture around in your living room? I didn't think so! This post explores why things like to stay in place and why keeping them in place is so important for good user experience.
Try moving your apps around on your phone or icons on your desktop (especially if you are comfortable with them in a certain place). If you don't mind, you can handle having your cheese moved (to borrow from that book that was the rage years ago). Most users don't want their cheese moved. Ever. That's why defaults rule in interface design strategy.