The era of disappearing interfaces.
How AI and Machine Learning are crafting a more human, less visible experience.
As a seasoned UX designer, I’ve seen design philosophies evolve, user interfaces transform, and technology become increasingly entwined with our daily lives. We’ve journeyed from a world of tactile buttons and knobs to clean minimalist interfaces, and now we’re venturing into the realm of text or voice-based interactions. We’re navigating the seas of ‘disappearing interfaces’ — a design evolution that’s as exciting as it is inevitable. Think of the gadgets that surround you. Your smartphone, your smart TV, and even solutions like home automation systems. Physical buttons have been replaced with sleek touch interfaces or pared down to the most basic of controls. This is a reflection of our commitment to crafting more intuitive, user-friendly experiences.
Let’s revisit the early 2000s. At this time, skeuomorphism was visual language, with digital designs mimicking their real-world counterparts to make them more intuitive to users. Think of the ‘trash’ or ‘recycle bin’ icon on your computer designed to look like an actual waste bin — this was skeuomorphism in action.
However, as technology evolved and users became more comfortable with digital interfaces, designers started to challenge the boundaries of skeuomorphism. This led to an intermediate design philosophy known as “semi-flat design” or “almost flat design.” This approach aimed to maintain the intuitiveness of skeuomorphic design while beginning to embrace the simplicity and elegance of flat design. In semi-flat design, subtle gradients, highlights, and textures were still used to provide a sense of depth, but these were toned down compared to skeuomorphism. The design elements were more abstract and less literal than skeuomorphism, but they still retained a touch of realism to keep interfaces intuitive and user-friendly. As users became increasingly digital-savvy, designers felt confident to take a leap toward flat design. Flat design eschewed all notions of realism in favor of minimalistic, clean design elements. It embraced simplicity, with a focus on usability and clarity.
And then, Material Design, born in 2014, was Google’s answer to the increasingly complex world of digital experience. It aimed to unify good design principles, innovation, and technological capabilities. It was a step beyond the digital domain, cleverly merging tactile and digital elements of interface design. In Material Design, Google offered a comprehensive system that integrated theory, resources, and tools. The goal was to develop a design language that marries time-honored design principles with the cutting-edge potential of science and technology. The result?
A more holistic approach to user interface design, treating it as a physical space with depth, movement, and light. Material Design is characterized by grid-based layouts, responsive transitions and animations, paddings, and depth effects, such as lighting and shadows. While it draws on some skeuomorphic concepts, it does so in a more controlled, abstract way — delivering a more digestible and efficient user experience in today’s design world.
Now, let’s indulge in a bit of future-gazing. Imagine a world where our interaction with devices goes beyond the physical. What if we could command our devices without touching them or even needing to look at them? This is the realm of ‘disappearing interfaces’ we’re stepping into. We’re moving from interfaces that require our direct interaction to ones that blend into our environment and respond intuitively to our needs. It’s a thrilling frontier for UX design, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
A time of change. The journey from visible to invisible interfaces.
Disappearing interfaces represent a new era in design philosophy that leverages advancements in AI and machine learning to create seamless, intuitive experiences. Instead of navigating through complicated menus and options, you simply talk or text to your device, just like you would with another human.
Today, we’re already witnessing the impact of AI and data science in simplifying complex interactions. Consider your current online shopping experience on leading platforms like Amazon. These platforms have begun to harness the power of data to offer personalized product recommendations. Based on your browsing history, past purchases, and items in your wish list, these platforms predict what you might be interested in purchasing next. While this is still a form of visible interface, it already simplifies your interaction. Instead of having to search from scratch, you’re immediately presented with options that are likely to appeal to you. It’s like walking into a physical store where the sales assistant already knows your style and preferences and guides you accordingly.
Now, let’s take a leap into the near future, where the power of AI takes this to the next level. In this future scenario, your interaction with the e-commerce platform becomes conversational. Instead of browsing through endless options, you simply start a conversation with the platform’s AI assistant, either through voice or text. You say, “I need a new pair of running shoes.” The assistant immediately presents a shortlist of options that suit your preferences in brand, price range, and style. It also factors in other considerations like the type of running you do, the time of year (for weather-appropriate recommendations), and even the ergonomics based on your past purchases or entered data. If you have specific requirements, you can simply state them: “I need them to be suitable for trail running.” The AI assistant updates the recommendations in real-time, keeping the interaction smooth and conversational.
In this scenario, the interface has effectively disappeared. There are no menus, no filters, and no need to manually sort through irrelevant options. The AI, backed by advanced data science, handles all of these complex interactions behind the scenes, providing you with a simple, conversational, and highly personalized shopping experience. This is the power of disappearing interfaces in the world of e-commerce. They hold the potential to transform complex, time-consuming tasks into simple, intuitive interactions. As we look toward the future, it’s exciting to envision how these advancements will continue to reshape our interactions with technology.
Shifting dynamics of control in interfaces.
The advent of disappearing interfaces presents us with an intriguing and somewhat paradoxical situation. As UX designers, and indeed as users, we’re faced with a challenging question: do we risk losing our sense of control over our devices as interfaces become less visible?
Let’s consider the traditional, tangible interfaces we’ve been accustomed to — a cockpit filled with buttons and levers, a graphic user interface populated with icons. These interfaces provide us with a clear and physical way of influencing the system. We can see and manipulate the buttons, switches, and sliders that cause changes in the system. Adjusting the volume, changing the channel, or navigating a map — these actions are almost instinctual because we can physically interact with the interface. There’s a palpable sense of control and predictability.
Now, imagine a world where such interfaces fade away, replaced by voice and text commands. Suddenly, the tangible elements of control are gone. What happens if the system misinterprets our instructions? Without a visible interface, how do we rectify the situation?
When we delve deeper into the concept of disappearing interfaces, numerous questions arise. Consider a complex task that involves multiple steps. With a disappearing interface, how will we know where we are in the process or what’s going to happen next? There’s a real risk of users feeling disoriented or lost.
It’s a transformative period that requires us to rethink and redesign the way users interact with technology, keeping their need for control and trust at the forefront of our considerations. As designers, we’re tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that even as interfaces become less visible, the sense of user control does not disappear.
Data, feedback, and invisible interfaces. The next frontiers in UX Design.
So, where will this take us? How will the role of UX design evolve as interfaces continue to disappear? The answers to these questions may not be clear yet, but one thing is certain: as designers, we must adapt and innovate. We must learn to design without a visual interface, focusing instead on the subtleties of human communication. We must understand not just the words of our users, but their intent, their tone, and their emotions. As we keep pondering these questions, another crucial aspect comes to mind: the data that these invisible interfaces are built. We need to comprehend what kind of information is being used to make these systems work. Are they reflecting our users accurately? Are they sensitive to their needs, preferences, and contexts? Are we accurately representing our users?
Data forms the bedrock of our models, and its quality can significantly sway the user experience. It’s not just about collecting vast amounts of data, but about ensuring its quality, relevance, and inclusivity. We need also to realize the importance of collecting feedback. Not just any feedback, but diverse and multi-faceted responses. We have to remember that our users are diverse, and so are the ways they interact with our systems. This means that their reaction will also be different. We need to be open to these differences and find various ways to collect evaluations. Maybe it’s through direct user surveys, or maybe it’s by looking at how they use our system and learning from their behavior. This iterative feedback loop enables us to continually learn and adapt our systems, making them more attuned to the user’s needs over time.
In essence, we are no longer designing interfaces; we are creating experiences that feel less like interactions with a machine, and more like interactions with a human. As interfaces continue to disappear, the boundaries between technology and user are blurring, leading to a future where technology is not just a tool, but an integral part of our lives. These are the challenges we must rise to meet as we shape the future of UX design.
Reference
- Tridimensionality: skeuomorphism, flat design, and neumorphism. Rodrigo Osornio
- Material Design. https://m3.material.io/
- Norman, D.A. The Design of Everyday Things. Doubleday, 1990.
- Can Users Control and Understand a UI Driven by Machine Learning? https://www.nngroup.com/articles/machine-learning-ux/
- Schaefer, D., & Kulesza, T. (2017). Explainable AI: Interaction Design for Trust. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), 24(2), 11.
- Shneiderman, B. (2017). Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction. Pearson.
- User Control and Freedom (Usability Heuristic #3), By Maria Rosala on November 29, 2020
- Selection controls — UI component series. By Taras Bakusevych
