Top Emerging Trends In App UI Design (2023 OUTLOOK)

Top 10 Design Tools For UX And UI (2023 GUIDE)

Selecting software for UX and UI design is never easy. You want to get something that enables you to flex the full extent of your creative muscle, but you also need a tool that will open your mind to new ideas and approaches you'd have missed. And then there's the issue of how well the tool coalesces with a team's administrative procedures, its integration capabilities, and the returns on investment for each pricing plan, among other factors. But don’t worry, we are going to list the top ten UX and UI design tools to consider using in 2023 and highlight their standout attributes: Sketch Sketch is impressive because it allows you to easily adapt your UI designs to different target device screens and their respective dimensions, thanks to custom grids. It will also let you easily reuse various components to maintain consistency in your designs, which is very important for branding. Besides the presets and artboards, Sketch offers pixel-level accuracy with a snapping mode and smart guides so there are no blemishes in your work. You’ll also benefit from its Boolean editable operations when introducing changes at different stages. Unfortunately, Sketch is only available on macOS, which complicates collaboration. Source: Sketch Adobe XD One standout feature of Adobe XD is the 3D Transforms, which allows you to represent different elements from specific perspectives (angles) and varying depths. This makes it ideal for designs intended for augmented and virtual reality systems. Additionally, Adobe XD offers expansive prototyping capabilities, enabling designers to publish and share interactive designs. And with multiple animation options for the smallest components and voice prototyping, you can quickly realize a lively design. You'll have a prototype you can speak to, one that speaks back and makes every action feel like an event of its own but still in a family. This applies to Google Material Design, Apple Design, Amazon Alexa, and many others, thanks to Adobe XD's assortment of UI kits. Source: Toptal Figma Figma’s browser-based wireframing capabilities make it a go-to tool for designers who want to quickly put down the skeleton for their designs and share them with colleagues. It also enhances collaboration by allowing you to place comments in your wireframes and get real-time feedback. And while Figma may come off as a tool best suited for presentations and brainstorming thanks to extensions like FigJam and its drag-and-drop approach, it allows you to convert wireframes into clickable prototypes to get a taste of the intended experience. Source: Digidop Balsamiq This tool offers a much leaner take on wireframing, going easy on the add-ons and keeping users focused on channeling their whiteboard or notepad workflow. However, it has numerous built-in components that you can drag and drop into your project's workspace with minimal learning time. Lastly, Balsamiq works on both PC and Mac. Source: Balsamiq Overflow Overflow helps you combine designs made in various tools like Adobe XD, Sketch, and Figma to create coherent user flows when envisioning the journey through your app. You’ll also be able to add device skins. And as you draw your user flow diagrams, you can use different shapes and colors to lay out a process's logic. Those viewing the diagram can easily follow it and see what happens when a particular condition is met or not, and what the screen looks like. Overflow can also convert your prototype links into connectors in the diagram, so you don't have to redo that work. Source: Overflow FlowMapp FlowMapp offers a more stripped-down approach to creating user flow diagrams. This makes it perfect for designers still in the strategizing phase and don't have that many complete screens to put in the diagram. While it may seem like a rudimental tool, FlowMapp can help you make important discoveries. For instance, some screens may need to be split, with one accessed using a button on another, while others need to be condensed into one because the functionality is highly-related. FlowMapp gives a more comprehensive view, such that other stakeholders like copywriters and sales executives can also contribute to the UX plan with a greater understanding of the opportunities and boundaries present in the journey. It’s great for choosing where to insert CTAs and additional messages like warnings at checkout for combating fraud or user feedback collection. Source: FlowMapp Framer Framer’s code-approach origins and compatibility with React make it suitable for designers focused on the latest web design technologies. Nonetheless, it offers more user-friendly UI design tools and usability testing features. More importantly, Framer has several plugins that designers can use to embed media players, grids, and other elements into designs to capture content from services like Twitter, Snapchat, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Vimeo, among others. It also has a variety of template categories, ranging from landing pages to startups, splash pages, photography and agency pages, etc. Source: Goodgrad Proto.io Thousands of templates and digital assets, and hundreds of UI components. That is one of the starting points Proto gives you to make your designs come alive within your web browser. Secondly, you can start your prototyping journey by importing files from Adobe XD, Figma, Photoshop, and Sketch. You'll also be able to explore different results for touch events, play with many screen transitions, and utilize gestures, sound, video, and dynamic icons. Proto.io comes with mobile, web, and offline modes. Source: Proto.io Axure Axure helps you make prototypes easier to follow by inserting conditional logic. This tool also encourages documenting as you work on high-fidelity prototypes rich in detail. Coupled with the ability to test functions and generate code for handoff to developers, Axure enables team members to comb through work swiftly with minimal oversight, having ready releases much faster. Source: Axure InVision InVision incorporates digital whiteboarding into the journey to a working prototype, which makes it great for projects where a team wants to keep ideation running concurrently with actual design work for as long as possible. It comes with a decent list of integration capabilities, ranging from project management tools like Jira and Trello to communication tools like Zoom and Slack. You can even hook up Spotify to provide a soundtrack for members doing freehand brainstorming. Source: Invisionapp Wrapping Up Every tool has its pros and cons, so always consider what phase of the project a specific tool fits into, how well it brings everyone together and how much creativity it supports. And while we've focused on these top ten picks, many other tools could dominate UI trends in 2023, such as Marvel, Origami Studio, Webflow, and more. For professional help in selecting the right UX and UI design tools, contact us for a free consultation.

Differences In UX Demands Of A Desktop And Mobile App For A SaaS Product

While it was more common for individuals and institutions to buy software in the earlier days, the concept of software as a service isn’t that new either. And as smartphones get smarter and more accessible, many product companies are shifting their focus to this ballooning market to sustain and increase profit. But even though many have increased revenue by enhancing their mobile apps, some companies are excelling thanks to a good desktop app UX. Mobile apps often shine when it comes to daily life products for the individual end user while desktop apps encapsulate stunning collaboration and productivity solutions. In fact, a recent StatCounter study put desktop traffic at 56.51%, with mobile traffic at 50.48%. Many other reports show that there’s still a roughly 60-40 split in mobile and desktop traffic. Clearly, both market segments are here to stay, so let’s examine the differences between UX design for desktop and UX design for mobile: UI Details One of the major differences is that desktop users are more comfortable with having plenty of items fixed on a single UI screen/window. In contrast, mobile users have limited screen space, and many use their thumbs more than any other finger, so you can hardly get away with a cluttered UI. Not only does it look overwhelming, but it also increases the chances of a user tapping the wrong button/option. Unfortunately, there are no straightforward solutions to this challenge. You're likely to tuck a feature/function two or more screens away, which users won't be so happy about. Luckily, some designs enable you to have retractable menus that slide into place and then slide away. You also have the option to create circular icon menus that appear when you hold down a button for a while. Ultimately, you should have a navigation option that makes it easy to go to the previous page or return to the general menu. Source: Freepik Source: Freepik You’ll also need to include a button for the most important action a user can take at that stage in their journey. If it's the opening page, this could be a signup button; if it's a category page, it could be an "add to cart" button or a "buy" button if it's the checkout page. Whatever the CTA is, it should be visible. The user shouldn't have to first scroll down the page. It should also be within the thumb zone, so ensure it's wide enough. Source: Freepik UX design for mobile should also consider the unique gestures like swiping, tilting and shaking that can make a mobile app more fun to use, not forgetting the use of haptic feedback to respond to a user’s command. Performance Ideally, both desktop and mobile app versions should be as smooth and fast as possible. However, when you consider the context in which they operate and the behind-the-scenes work involved in making apps faster, you realize that you might need to put more emphasis on one of them. Mobile apps are more likely to be run on devices with limited RAM, storage space and processing power. Additionally, users are more likely to travel with mobile devices to remote areas where internet connectivity may be poorer. Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash This is why it is essential to optimize mobile apps so they can still work fine when low on resources. From memory allocation to caching, reliance on CDNs and compression for lighter media file versions, offline modes, variable streaming bitrates and data template reuse, there are various techniques you can use to achieve higher mobile app performance. Additionally, don’t forget to test on as many devices and OS versions as possible. Personalization Many software users want to feel like the product was made just for them, and it deeply understands them. In the past, personalization came in the form of changeable skins, fonts and colors. Later, it advanced to more important features like changing languages, currencies and measurement systems. However, personalization has to evolve even further. For instance, if the user has enabled your mobile app to access their location, can it suggest the perfect playlist when it detects that they are by the beach or at a riverside campsite or safari lodge. Source: Unsplash Can your shopping app switch to suggestions for sweaters and cold-weather clothes when the user is in a cold region? Will your food app point them to the places with the best hot beverages and confectioneries? Personalization covers several areas, including the way a person types and uses emojis, the order in which they browse pages, how they use search bars and more. Unlike desktop apps which run on devices like work computers that stay in the same place and are shared, or laptops that usually move between work and home, a mobile app often runs on a device that spends most of its time with one person, going everywhere with them. This is why making mobile app versions as adaptable to the user as possible is crucial. Security and Customer Support On the security front, mobility creates more headaches since it increases the chances of a user losing a device or connecting to an unsecured public network, among other scenarios. This means you should augment mobile apps with more security options, such as fingerprint locks, face ID and other approaches that a mobile device's native hardware can allow. On a deeper level, developers can look into code obfuscation, "root," and "jailbreak detection " to further protect against attack techniques that take advantage of the mobile app-specific architectural and operational characteristics. When it comes to customer support, mobile app UX designers can look into things like the ability to screenshot an error message page and quickly submit it via live chat or tap a call button to speak to an agent. Image by Freepik Another vital customer support area is self-help. Remember, desktop app versions have the advantage since there's more space to display a help article column alongside the actual screen/dashboard where the user is working. They can also properly display video demos and offer an Info view where you see what a button or other element does by hovering the cursor over it. That said, mobile app UX designers need to find ways to condense knowledge bases and other self-help materials within the app to simplify the journey from learning to applying. They can also use GIFs to strike a middle-ground between heavy videos and static images when delivering demos. Wrapping Up All-in-all, it's prudent not to look at the desktop as outdated. Instead, focus more on what they easily accommodate, then figure out how to emulate that on mobile devices. As always, it helps to work with a team of professionals conversant with the nuances of developing and delivering desktop and mobile SaaS apps. You can start this journey by contacting the SupremeTech team for a free consultation on how we bring software ideas to life for our clients.

What is Middleware Integration for CDI? | Benefits and Examples

In the last article, we've discussed Customer Data Integration (CDI) and its important role for OMO Retail. This article will continue to dig deeper into a common type of CDI. Middleware integration is a powerful and flexible solution for CDI, particularly suitable for complex, real-time, and scalable integration needs. Check out SupremeTech's success case studies in building a middleware for an online-merge-offline retail corporation in Japan. What is Middleware Integration? Middleware integration in CDI involves using middleware software to connect and facilitate the exchange of data between different systems, applications, and databases. Middleware acts as an intermediary layer. After successfully built, it ensures smooth communication and data flow without requiring direct connections between the integrated systems. It allows different systems to work together seamlessly. Features of Middleware Integration Connectivity: Middleware provides connectors and adapters to link various systems, regardless of their platforms or technologies. By using middleware, retail businesses do not need to waste time syncing the existing systems of different sales platforms. However, they can still make use of the synchronized database across sales channels to serve customers better. Data Transformation: Middleware can transform data formats and structures to ensure compatibility between different systems. Orchestration: Middleware solutions often include workflow and process orchestration capabilities to manage and automate complex data integration tasks. Scalability: Middleware can handle varying volumes of data and scale according to the business’s needs. We have used middleware to bridge the existing offline system and the online store of a retail giant in Japan with millions of customers. Security: Middleware ensures secure data exchange, protecting sensitive customer information during the integration process. Nowadays, data is considered the capital resource of a business. Securing customer data, therefore, is the utmost priority every business owner concerns. Monitoring and Management: Middleware typically offers tools for monitoring data flows, managing integrations, and troubleshooting issues. Examples of Middleware Solutions Apart from a custom middleware, there are several other handy tools when it comes to a bridge software. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform MuleSoft provides a comprehensive integration platform that enables the connection of any application, data, or device with APIs. It supports both on-premises and cloud integrations. Its main features include API management, data transformation, real-time analytics, and pre-built connectors for various systems. Dell Boomi Boomi offers a cloud-based integration platform as a service (iPaaS) that connects applications and automates workflows across hybrid IT environments. Dell Boomi's highlight features are drag-and-drop interface, pre-built connectors, real-time data synchronization, and extensive support for various protocols. Oracle Integration Cloud Oracle Integration Cloud offers a comprehensive solution for integrating applications and data across on-premises and cloud environments. It offers a wide range of features, including but not limited to pre-built adapters, process automation, visual development tools, and robust analytics. Microsoft Azure Logic Apps Azure Logic Apps is a cloud service that automates and orchestrates tasks and workflows by integrating applications, data, and services across organizations. The main functionalities of MS Azure include extensive integration capabilities, built-in connectors, scalability, and flexibility in designing workflows. Benefits of Middleware Integration Middleware integration offers many benefits for businesses. It ensures seamless communication between different systems and enhances operational efficiency. Middleware provides real-time data availability and supports various integration patterns and workflows. Thus, it is adaptable to evolving business needs. Moreover, it transforms data to ensure system compatibility. It also centralizes management, simplifying monitoring and troubleshooting. Additionally, it enhances security by protecting sensitive data during exchanges. Overall, middleware integration improves decision-making and customer experiences. If you need a custom middleware for your unique business, book a free consultation with us! Providing bridging solutions for online-merge-offline retail businesses is one of SupremeTech's best-selling services. Not only do we have abundant experiences but we also implement fast and cost-efficiently. Let us know your current problems and we will tackle them down together!

What is Customer Data Integration (CDI) and why it is important for OMO retail?

Hi business operators, having a unified view of customer base across various channels can make all the difference. By leveraging customer data integration, businesses can improve customer satisfaction, boost sales, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving marketplace. This procedure is even more important for OMO retail because of the complexity of customer data the business needs to handle across online and offline sales channels. In this article, we will give answer to the question What is Customer Data Integration and its role for OMO retail. What is Customer Data Integration (CDI)? In short, customer data integration (CDI) involves consolidating information from in-store purchases, online transactions, social media interactions, and more into a single database. This streamlined approach not only enhances customer experiences by enabling personalized marketing and efficient service. It also provides valuable insights that drive strategic decision-making. Most Common Types of Customer Data Integration Customer Data Integration (CDI) can be categorized into several types based on the methods of integration, data sources, and the technology used. Here are some primary types of customer data integration: Batch Data Integration The first type involves collecting and processing data at scheduled intervals rather than in real-time. This method is commonly used for large volumes of data that do not require immediate processing. Data is extracted from various sources, transformed into a consistent format, and then loaded into a target database or data warehouse during off-peak hours to minimize system impact. This type is ideal for routine tasks such as nightly data backups, end-of-day transaction processing, and periodic data synchronization between systems. Key benefits of Batch Data Integration Efficient for processing large datasetsReduces load on systems during business hoursSimplifies data management by handling updates in bulk. Real-Time Data Integration The second type involves integrating data during generation, providing up-to-the-minute information. This method is essential for applications that require immediate data updates and insights. Data is captured and transmitted instantly from various sources to a central system using real-time processing technologies such as message queues, streaming platforms, or APIs. Real-time integration is crucial for applications like live customer support, fraud detection, personalized marketing, and dynamic pricing. Key benefits of Real-Time Data Integration Ensures timely and accurate data availabilityEnhances decision-making with current dataImproves customer experience by enabling immediate responses and interactions API-Based Data Integration The third type, API-based data integration, uses Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to enable data sharing and integration between different systems and applications. This method supports both real-time and on-demand data exchanges. APIs allow applications to communicate and exchange data directly. Developers can create, manage, and consume APIs to facilitate seamless data flow between disparate systems. API-based integration is widely used for connecting cloud services, integrating third-party applications, enabling mobile apps to access backend data, and synchronizing data between enterprise systems. Key benefits of API-Based Data Integration Provides flexibility and scalabilitySupports real-time data accessSimplifies integration with various systems and platformsAllows for modular and maintainable integration solutions In general, each type of customer data integration has its own advantages and use cases, and organizations often use a combination of these methods to meet their specific needs and goals. Key components of Customer Data Integration (CDI) Data Collection In the early stage of business, customer data is fragmented and not well-synchronized across sales platforms. It's stored in the database of each sale channel and those channels operate independently. Therefore, the first component of CDI process is to gather the pieces of information. Customer data includes transaction records, social media interactions, customer service interactions, loyalty programs, website visits, and mobile app usage. Data Cleaning and Standardization Then, the second thing is ensuring that the data collected is accurate, complete, and consistent. This involves removing duplicates, correcting errors, filling in missing values, and standardizing data formats. Data Integration Data integration involves merging data from disparate sources into a unified database or data warehouse. This involves using data integration tools and technologies that can handle diverse data formats and large volumes of data. Data Storage and Enrichment Storing the integrated data in a centralized repository, such as a data warehouse or a customer relationship management (CRM) system, to facilitate easy access and analysis. Enhancing the integrated data by adding additional information, such as demographic details, psychographic data, and third-party data, to gain a more complete view of the customer. Data Analysis and Insights This component acts as the foundation of data-based decision making for business. From a huge amount of organized data, data readers can uncover patterns, trends, and insights about customer behavior, preferences, and needs. This can involve using analytics tools and techniques such as machine learning, data mining, and predictive analytics. Customer Segmentation Dividing the customer base into distinct segments based on characteristics such as demographics, purchasing behavior, and preferences. This enables more targeted marketing and personalized customer interactions. Why Customer Data Integration is crucial for Online-Merge-Offline business Customer Data Integration is particularly important for Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) retail because it helps to create a seamless and cohesive shopping experience. Here are key reasons why CDI is essential for OMO retail: Unified Customer Experience First and foremost, CDI ensures the consolidation of customer information from online and offline channels. Customers often switch between online and offline channels during their shopping journey. Regardless of that, they will experience the consistent care whether he is shopping in-store, online, or through a mobile app. CDI helps track these transitions seamlessly. Improved Inventory Management Secondly, CDI provides real-time insights into inventory levels across all channels, helping retailers manage stock more efficiently and meet customer demand promptly. Data-Driven Decision Making By integrating data from both online and offline sources, retailers can gain a holistic view of customer behavior and preferences, enabling better decision-making. Integrated data allows for the analysis of trends and patterns across all channels, informing strategies for marketing, product development, and sales. Conclusion In conclusion, Customer Data Integration (CDI) is a vital strategy for businesses seeking to optimize their operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth in today’s competitive market. For retailers, particularly those operating in the F&B sector and OMO environments, the importance of CDI cannot be overlooked. It not only ensures consistency and accuracy across multiple channels but also empowers businesses to respond swiftly to customer needs and market trends. Effective CDI enhances operational efficiency, optimizes inventory management, and supports the development of targeted marketing strategies. Ultimately, CDI leads to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Embracing CDI is not just about technology implementation; it’s about creating a customer-centric approach that aligns with the dynamic landscape of modern commerce. SupremeTech has experience in handling data integration for businesses with millions of customers. If you're looking for integration services for large-scale system, book a free consultation with us!