If there’s one field that’s never stagnant or boring, it’s undoubtedly web design and development. A fast-moving, hyper-competitive space, there are always new trends that emerge and shake up the way we build, browse through and interact with websites. Today, one of the prevailing trends is the use of what is known as motion UI, an extremely interesting framework that is likely to become extremely widespread in the not-too-distant future.

So, what exactly is motion UI, what prompted its development and what are the different ways it can be incorporated into a website to maximise the value that it brings to your online presence? It’s a lot to ponder—thankfully, we have an answer for each of these questions right here in today’s article.

Motion UI in a Nutshell

Motion UI, is, quite simply, a responsive front-end design framework that leverages moving elements that respond in real-time to user inputs or actions. For example, an animation could slide in, an image could scroll alongside the page or elements could disappear from a page entirely according to what information is currently front and centre.

Implementing a motion UI framework into your website accomplishes two core things—first, it adds a layer of interactivity to your page, resulting in something that is far more fun to browse through. Second, it lends a modern touch to otherwise minimalist designs, helping them to stand out from a vast majority of template-driven designs.

What Drove its Surge in Popularity?

Aesthetic appeal is of high importance when it comes to your website, but that’s not the only consideration being made when it comes to motion UI. It’s a keen eye towards the actual user experience that has driven widespread adoption. This is because when appropriately utilised, motion UI does wonders to the user-friendliness of your site by complementing the layout and structure of your content. From directing attention to core elements of the page to structuring the layout of a page itself, motion UI is incredible at optimising the UX of your design.

Additionally, motion UI as a framework is actually quite simple to implement. There are plenty of third-party libraries around that can be integrated with all of the functionality you need to create highly engaging designs, all without needing an exhaustive knowledge of CSS and SASS just to get the individual elements working. Simplicity of implementation is just one of the huge selling points that helps to explain just why motion UI is now exploding in popularity across the internet.

Taking Full Advantage

Before you begin embarking on your journey of bringing motion UI to your designs, it’s critical that you understand that, above all else, it’s a framework. That means it’s not something that can be mindlessly used—it needs to be carefully considered and meticulously applied in order for you to reap the full rewards it can offer. In essence, here are the steps you should take to ensure that your transition to a motion UI is a productive and fruitful one:

• Carry out a thorough competitor analysis
• Map the prominent trends, timings, transitions and design effects being used
• Track any UI elements that add or subtract significant value from the overall experience
• Identify an execution path best suited to your existing content
• Align your implementation efforts with the information uncovered in your initial analysis
• Standardise the use of your chosen design principles in order to build continuity throughout the site
• Test your motion UI with real users and refine according to their feedback

Each of these steps are critical to ensuring that you’re implementing motion UI consistently and coherently throughout your website, but the process doesn’t stop there! As standards continue to change and evolve, it’s important that you regularly revisit your site, various design elements, content and performance in order to ensure that it’s always running at tip-top shape and continues to offer a seamless, intuitive and—most importantly—pleasing experience to browsers across the world.

Motion UI is just one of the current trends dominating the field of web development and design, but it’s perhaps the most important one to note as we transition to the next decade. If you decide that the framework is right for you, then this article will prove to be invaluable on your journey—heed our tips, and you won’t have anything to worry about.