Making sure your brand doesn’t hinder usability

We have worked with a variety of brands to create interfaces for applications, dashboards, members’ areas and websites. They all came with their own challenges but one is always shared: implementing brand visual language to create ownership of an experience, without hindering the usability.

This is most commonly an issue when brands rely on the use of typography and colour in distinguishing ways to stand out - a trend currently in full swing and obviously true of a lot of brands (it is branding after all). However, sometimes the process overlooks the need to create a visual language that can be applied to digital interfaces to establish the same familiarity.

Carrying out the process of almost ‘reigning’ brands back in to create that familiarity in digital touch points is an enjoyable part of our day and we wanted to share some of our thoughts on how to do this.

Use colour as highlights rather than full on splashes

Colour palette and its application is usually one of the first recognisable aspects of any brand. In some scenarios though, this can cause some ghastly user interface (UI) design if not handled correctly. Or worse, colour combinations that aren’t accessible causing unintended issues for a number of your users. 

Where brands use larger splashes of colours to create ownership over a billboard, brochure cover or social ad, it can become harder to work into interface design that needs to be clear and contrasting. Instead, consider how you can bring in the key brand colours as ways to clearly signpost users to key calls to action, highlight or celebrate content, or use as touches of colour throughout an interface rather than one BIG splash.

Implement brand typefaces appropriately and don’t fear introducing new ones

We see a lot of brands using ornate typefaces. Most recently, some really lovely serif fonts for logotype and headlines, the key elements of a brand’s typography that make a brand recognisable. Sometimes brands also use uppercase as part of their brand visual language to create a point of difference in marketing channels and feeds.

When applying these typefaces and rules into an interface design for a dashboard or application you can quickly create a visual experience which, yes, has recognisable fonts but is difficult to use. This is because the brand elements overrule the quick scannable nature of the interface and break the harmony with other elements on the page.

Always aim to have your typography legible, accessible and supporting the interface rather than over ruling it. Don’t be afraid to introduce a new, less ornate, typeface for digital experiences if your brand doesn’t already have one that lends itself to UI design.

Don’t shoehorn imagery in unnecessarily

Brands can rely heavily on imagery to create their ownership when used in marketing or social. In interface design for experiences like member areas or dashboards, we usually find ourselves without that luxury because marketing imagery doesn’t align with the tasks the user needs to complete. Sometimes imagery adds distraction that isn’t needed where clear labelling supported by iconography is enough.

Consider introducing illustration into the brand toolkit

There may come scenarios, like we mentioned above, where a lift is needed to an experience but imagery doesn’t feel right. Consider bringing in illustrations as these can be visually calmer than photography. They can be curated in a way that has them blend into the interface rather than over power or distract the user.

Illustrations are also much easier to add a smoother element of movement if you need something to loop or come to life on hover or once tapped. They can add more depth to your experience that imagery can’t and when the use of video can become distracting.

Create bespoke iconography to support brand ownership

Iconography can be a great opportunity to create brand ownership of an application or digital experience. There are different levels of iconography from the smaller interface icons which support labels for actions through to the larger iconography that can help headlines and sectioning of content. 

Both provide opportunity to lift an interface, inject some brand touches while creating a better more accessible user experience for your users. 

Animation can delight and add personality but shouldn’t distract

Digital interfaces now come with the expectation of animation for certain actions. Whether that's opening a menu, expanding an accordion or overlaying a flyout. When animation supports all of these actions and more, the user experience is enhanced because changes to the screen happen gradually rather than with a jolt.

This easing of how content introduces itself to the page can be customised to add in brand personality. Whether that is an overlay opening with a swing, a bounce or a fade (there are plenty more options), including animation is another way to lift and create an experience for your users. Just make sure that the animation doesn’t become the primary player or focus, it should always be in a supporting role. 

Conclusion

Brand assets created for your marketing and social efforts aren’t always going to be the best fit for a digital interface that needs to deliver content or support task completion by your users. Considering assets in your brand toolkit within the context of interface design means putting the user first and having the brand play a supporting role whilst making sure you are using those assets in ways that still allows brand ownership. Equally, recognising where you have gaps in your brand toolkit and taking the opportunity to create fit for purpose assets will again do more for your brand than shoehorning the wrong, readily available asset to save on time and budget.

Creating experiences with accessible and intuitive interface design that is easy to use in certain scenarios (post sign up, post purchase or log-in) is going to create more brand value and loyalty than creating an interface that is recognisable alongside a brands marketing visual language but is unusable. 

Need some help ensuring your brand doesn’t hinder usability?

Book in a FREE 30 minute session with our UX Director, Jason Hancock.