This article revisits UX themes discussed in 2019–2020: experiences across devices, stylized product imagery, dark mode, voice interfaces, storytelling and 3D. It is a historical perspective on how designers evaluate new ideas, not a prediction of what will dominate this year. For a broader set of patterns and trade-offs, see the UX design trends guide.
UI/UX Design
By the time you come across them, many have already gathered momentum, awaiting wide adoption.
UX design trends for 2019
The following sections examine three themes associated with discussions of UX in 2019. Their value still depends on the user’s task and context, rather than the year in which they attracted attention.
Device-Agnostic Design
Designing across devices was already important before 2019. Phones, desktop computers, watches and voice assistants create different interaction constraints, so a journey may need several appropriate interfaces rather than a single layout copied everywhere.
Device-agnostic design emphasizes continuity across devices: people should be able to recognize their progress, content and next action when they switch. It still requires adaptations for input methods, screen size, accessibility and connectivity.
In essence, UX design should consider the user’s journey as well as the devices involved. A watch can deliver a brief reminder while a larger screen supports a detailed decision; the two interfaces can contribute to the same task without looking identical.
A continuous journey needs deliberate state handling. For example, someone starting a booking on a phone should be able to recognize the same saved selection later on a laptop. Test whether account state, errors and incomplete work behave consistently across the supported devices.
Unreal product photos
Stylized product images can help communicate a concept or campaign. They do not make accurate product photography obsolete: shoppers still need to understand what they will receive.
When many products look similar, illustration or a composed scene can highlight a meaningful difference. Keep the actual shape, scale, color and included items clear, and separate imaginative presentation from factual product information.
In ecommerce, a creative campaign image may introduce a product while detailed photographs explain its materials and use. Travel imagery needs the same distinction: an atmospheric illustration should not be mistaken for a photograph of a real destination or facility.
The purpose is to attract attention without creating a false expectation. Longer viewing time alone does not prove a better experience or higher conversion. Evaluate whether people can still identify the product and make the decision the page supports.
Dark mode
Dark mode was a prominent interface theme around 2019. It remains a design option for different environments and preferences, rather than a universally better replacement for a light interface.
A dark interface can reduce perceived brightness in a dark environment, but it is not automatically easier to read or healthier for every user. Test text contrast, small type, focus indicators and selected states in both themes. Respect a user’s theme preference where possible instead of promising that dark mode prevents eye strain.
Color relationships also change between themes. A border, shadow or brand color that works on a light background may become difficult to distinguish on a dark one. Check the complete component states, not just a dark screenshot of the default screen.
UX design trends for 2020
Voice interfaces, storytelling and 3D were also part of UX discussions around 2020. The sections below explain the design questions they raise rather than treating adoption forecasts as present-day evidence.
Voice User Interface (VUI)
Voice user interfaces add speech as a way to complete a task. They can be useful when looking at or touching a screen is difficult, but their suitability depends on the environment and the people using them.
Voice UI uses speech recognition to interpret spoken input. A short command may suit a hands-busy task; editing a long document, entering confidential information or operating in a noisy place may need another input method. Provide a clear way to correct a misunderstood request.
A voice flow needs to communicate what it understood and what happens next. For a booking request, confirm the date and destination before committing the action. People should be able to cancel or switch to a visual route when speech is inconvenient.
Do not choose voice interaction on the strength of an unattributed market forecast. Test the actual task: can people discover the command, notice an error, correct it and complete the interaction without disclosing more information than intended?
Storytelling
A visually polished interface does not by itself explain why a product matters. Storytelling can connect a person’s situation, their goal and the change the product helps them make. It should support understandable navigation and accurate information, not replace them.
The ability to tell a great story is critically important for the customer's positive experience. In UX design, you use storytelling throughout the design process to ensure that all work focuses on the users' needs and the value you want to give those users. Having a story throughout the design project means marketing the design at the end of the design process is also straightforward, as you already know exactly which story to tell to show how your product provides value.
A useful story can make a feature’s purpose concrete. Show the starting problem, the action and the result, using examples that reflect real user needs. An emotional response or a compelling narrative does not by itself establish an increase in conversion.
3D Visualization
3D rendering has long been used in fields beyond film and games, including product visualization. On the web, its usefulness depends on rendering cost, download size, device capability and whether a spatial view helps the task. Those constraints did not disappear in 2020.
Three-dimensional graphics can explain shape, depth or assembly when a flat image is insufficient. They can also distract or slow a page. Use a static alternative when motion or interaction is unnecessary, and make essential information available outside the visual.
3D is also applicable in typography and letter illustrations. Letters constructed of blocks and machine parts and bold colors appear more effective when they are rendered in triple dimensions. Furthermore, 3D visualization has been applied to editorial photography and real-life photoshoots to create more impactful visual effects.
Connecting the years
It is true that the UX trends that catch on, year after year, differ from one another. And many times, the prominent user experience trends of one year don't seem to always be connected to the trends that catch on in the next or subsequent years. For example, there is no obvious connection between the prevalence of dark mode and the increasing popularity of storytelling.
But there are patterns and lessons for designers to take note of. The changes from time to time, reflect more the evolving nature of technology as a whole and how users are interacting with them. If we take a cursory look at the changes in User Experience trends over the years 2018 to 2020, we notice that there is less emphasis on mere product appearance. Furthermore, we notice that two patterns stick out, namely, the rise of futuristic technology and the growing need for personalized human experiences to be imputed in product design.
The Rise of Futuristic Technology
The original article grouped AI and 3D under “futuristic” technology. That label reflects its historical perspective, not evidence that these technologies are new. Evaluate a proposed feature by the specific user problem it solves and the consequences when it fails.
For an AI-assisted interaction, consider what input is needed, how people can correct the output and what requires their confirmation. For connected devices, consider latency and loss of connectivity. A technical capability only becomes useful UX when these details work for the task.
The Human Angle
Visual appeal can attract attention, but continued use also depends on usefulness, reliability, accessibility and fit with a person’s routine. There is no single retention percentage that describes every app and audience.
Useful content can support a product relationship by explaining choices and resolving uncertainty. Storytelling is one approach; concise instructions, transparent errors and trustworthy information may matter more for other tasks.
The way to forecast the trends
Following UX trends can generate ideas, but it does not guarantee business success. Treat a trend as a hypothesis: identify the user need, build a limited example, and compare the experience with the existing approach.
Studying previous trends can reveal useful patterns and failed assumptions. It cannot reliably predict which approach will suit a future product. Keep the reasoning and evidence separate from the popularity of a visual style.
Is there a sure way to stay on top of things?
There is no sure way to predict a winning trend. Teams can improve their decisions by observing real tasks, testing small changes and retaining what helps people complete their goals.
And where do the ideas come from?
One way to generate ideas is to experiment with an existing workflow. Compare alternatives using the same task, and look at where participants hesitate, recover from errors or abandon the attempt. Other designers’ work can inspire a hypothesis without proving that it will fit your audience.
Another approach is to get recommendations from "outside." Essentially, this involves listening to actual users. You can do this by speaking to them directly or by studying available data. What do they want to see in products that they have not seen? Both approaches have their merits and downsides.
User suggestions are useful input, but research should also examine behavior, context and unmet needs. A requested feature is not always the only solution to the underlying problem. Combine what people say with what happens when they try the proposed workflow.