Subtle vs bright GUI design - Is there inherent value in design subtlety beyond user preference?

Question

I've heard it said that a designer should almost always use subtle, simplistic style in the design of a typical user interface. Is that really the case?

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For example, Windows 8 is very bright / loud, and it seems to be popular, but that doesn't necessarily go beyond the current trends.

I'm looking for an example of subtlety being a valuable aspect in all GUI design, rather than just a feature of preference.

As it is, it seems that the balance between GUI subtlety and vibrancy can be ignore or upheld without any consequence beyond the world's current user preference.

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• What are some of the pros & cons of using subtle style for user-interface design vs those of using bright, loud styling?

• Is there an inherent value in GUI color subtlety, or is it's value based purely on user preference?

Answer 1

In my opinion, a designer should never always design anything in any way!

I've been designing professionally for a few years now, and every time I have designed a product it has been, first and foremost, to meet the requirements of the client - be it a website, app, email template or other interface.

If the client wants a subtle, flat interface (in line with iOS7, for example), then I will try to create something that meets that expectation without copying it from somewhere else; the same applies for a bright, flat interface like Windows 8.

Don't pay too much attention to 'fashion' - trends are so arbitrary that something considered 'fashionable' one day could be obsolete the next. It's unlikely, but for all we know the 'flat' style might be gone in a couple of years, and skeumorphics & gloss may end up coming back around...such is the roundabout nature of trends. They're fun to observe, but don't always join in!

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

I think you mean muted (“subdued, softened”) rather than subtle (“so slight as to be difficult to detect or analyze”). A lot of Apple's designs are subtle without necessarily being muted.

What are some of the pros & cons of using subtle style for user-interface design vs those of using bright, loud styling?

Off the top of my head . . .

• You can look at a muted UI longer before visual fatigue sets in.
• Muted and bold stylings have a different psychological impact; they send different messages. (Especially when you're talking about color.)
• A muted UI gives you more ways to demand the users attention.

Also, I have to work harder to keep bright, loud styling from looking like a clown’s pants.

Answer 3

An important point to consider is the context of the design, is it for a one proposition app or website, or a complex online tool. Vibrant strong colours can look great, however by using bright colours you need to be careful you are still able to create a visual hierarchy to distinguish between primary secondary and tertiary goals/ functions.

An example would be a green button indicating the main action, a blue link showing a neutral action, a red for deletion, etc. A neutral design allows these important features to stand out. Plus need to consider accessibility and screen quality across multiple devices. Reading large bodies of text on anything other than a white background can be tiresome.