What is
visual design?
Contrary to popular belief, visual design is not just about increasing the aesthetic appeal of a digital product. Visual design is about enhancing visual appeal and the usability of the product through strategic placement of visual design elements & assets including images, typography, colors, layout, & even space.
What is the importance of visual design?
- Visual design is both strategic & aesthetic nature meaning visual design can either make or break the appeal & usability of your product
- Users form impression about digital interfaces within a fraction of a second, ergo the right visual design language can draw your users in to your product
- Visual design elements are strongly tied to the goals & purpose of each product feature & functionality laying groundwork for intuitive & user friendly experiences.
- Visual design makes it easy to scan through information, navigate across different screens, & complete tasks with ease on a digital platform.
- Visual design is integral in creating strong brand identity & boosting brand image that resonates with your target user groups
- Visual design improves communication with your customers, helps build trust, & goodwill in the longer run.
- Branding & visual design can help your business attract new customers through the right emotional appeal created by diverse visual design elements.
What are the main principles of visual design?
- Unity & consistent visual design language
- Incorporating the right amount of breathing space
- Visual hierarchy to denote which information more important than others
- Balance & harmony across visual elements
- Right contrast that differentiates different products/offerings
- Creating continuity without direct duplicity
What is the role of visual design in UI/UX design?
Visual design enhances usability & visual appeal thus elevating the overall user experience. They make digital interfaces easy to understand, user-friendly and intuitive by strategic use of visual design elements thus, making user journey swift & easy.
Since visual designers’ main goal is to make it easier for users to complete their task on the platform, visual design is essential to usability & user experience design. As per Aaron Walter’s Hierarchy of User Needs, functionality, reliability, & usability form the core of user needs, and in turn user experience design.
Visual design is all about bringing in these three core paradigms into the interface design through the right use of visual design principles & elements. Consistent, clear, uncluttered visual design language not only makes the user experience more satisfying & hassle-free, it also paves the way for high brand recall, recognition, & loyalty.
