Difference Between Skeuomorphism and Flat Design in UI

Skeuomorphic designs were used to rule the UI design system in earlier days. Today how outdated it may look but this design has made the user familiar with the ways real-world elements are incorporated in interfaces because of which a paradigm shift from skeuomorphism to flat designs happened easily.

What is Skeuomorphism?

It is a design approach created to mimic real-world elements in the digital environment. As the design style was too close to the objects of real world, it gave the feeling of familiarity to the user. This enhanced the experience while using the interface resulting in better and faster task completion. Skeuomorphic designs can be recognized by the icon style of iPhone during its earlier stage, around 2007.

While skeuomorphic designs ruled the early days of digital interfaces but today we can see a shift in design trends towards minimalism, flat design style with appealing aesthetics. Despite this shift, skeuomorphism still can be seen in multiple gaming applications to keep the user bind to the game by providing real life experience. Some VR and AR apps also do the same. Skeuomorphism is the step in UI design from which todays users were made familiar with the digital world because of which they are now easily able to understand the style of today.

What is Flat Design?

Flat design is a newest approach after skeuomorphism. As the generation flourished and has toward modern era also created some changes in users perspective to see a design. In real world also they started to like object with cleaner and simple designs, less colors. Today most of the time users are on screen in which vibrant colors became much strainful for them for longer duration. This resulted in the shift UI design. All of these changes resulted into design system called flat design which took a minimalistic approach. This is design contains a hierarchy, sober and subtle colors with less gradients. Body contains less lines making the frame more simple and less stressful to eyes. This approach eliminated the textured, three-dimensional elements found in skeuomorphism.

Flat design are compatible with responsive web design, which allows designers to optimize interface for multiple screen sizes and orientations. Due to simplistic look of flat design, it help decrease load times, improve navigation, improving the overall user experience.

Major Difference

To understand the major difference between the two design concepts, take an example of old instagram logo and new instagram logo. As the name of the app suggests the app contain something related to instant and telegram. The app is related to image or photo sharing. So the old logo was designed in such way that it represented a polaroid camera that are famous for instant photo processing. Whereas the new logo was just a simple modification of a previous complex logo.

To get more clarity on the above difference refer the below image depicting instagram logo comparison:
So, skeuomorphic designs replicates real world elements, while flat design embraces abstraction and simplicity.

Why To Use?

Skeuomorphism:

• Familiarity and Intuitiveness: It uses real-world objects, making interfaces easier to understand.
• Sentimental Connection: Realistic elements can create emotional connections and keep users engaged.
• Providing Clues: These designs provide hints and visual cues to guide users in their actions.

Flat Design:

• Easy to Understand: It keeps things simple, so users find it easier to use and move around the interface.
• Consistent: Flat design uses the same design elements and colors throughout, making everything look good together.
• Aspect Ratio Compatibility : These designs are responsive and are a great fit to be used on different screens.

Key Benefits

Skeuomorphism:

• Increases Engagement: The user’s involvement and interaction may be enhanced by these elements.
• Recognizable: Such elements, however, are very memorable as a result of their real design.
• Adaptable: Make it easy for user to understand situations in user interface, e.g. in the case of gaming or creativity software.

Flat Design:

• Efficient: Flat design minimizes elements, which results in faster loading times and improved performance.
• Aesthetics: In order to allow for a faster loading time and better performance, flat design minimizes elements.
• Accessibility: Due to sober and subtle design and colors, it is easy for people with disabilities to engage in the digital world for long times.

Skeuomorphism vs. Flat Design in UI

Condition	Skeuomorphism	Flat Design
Visual Style	It uses real-world textures and 3D effects	Uses flat, 2D elements and clean lines with minimal gradients
Complexity	This design is highly complex as often visually complicated and detailed	Complexity is low as these design are simplistic and minimalistic
Platform Adaptability	May not adapt well to different screen sizes	Adaptable and responsive to various devices
Trendiness	These designs are less preferred by people today due to complexity, high clutterness etc.	Popular between designers and marketers. Due to simplistic to look and enhance loading of interface
Engagement	Increases interaction between user and system as it gives a feeling of familiarity	Users has to first understand the system to interact. Hence, resulting in less engagement

Conclusion

In this trend of UI Design, choosing and saying one of the above two design approach is superior to the other won’t be giving justice to both the designs. Instead of asking which one is great our question must be which one will suit are project, our audience as skeuomorphic design can bring an element of familiarity and engagement, while flat design prioritizes clarity and simplicity. In the end, a great UI design means an application with a functional user experience parallel to its visually appealing style.