Another aspect of Material Design that makes it user centered is its emphasis on motion and interaction. The idea behind these principles is that web design reacts to user input, whether that is by clicking, dragging and dropping, tapping or swiping. Material Design puts a strong importance on moving parts since it immerses the user into the app’s digital world. The Google designers make motion guidelines so that the elements of a digital space react in ways that mimic the physics of real life. By replicating real-world physics, Material Designers create a system that feels real to the user, as well as being predictable.
When a user presses a button, it raises up from the page, informing the user that an action is about to take place. The motions are fluid, and give suggestions of what action the user is enacting. A swipe sorts emails in archives, while an animated shadow shows content that can be selected or enlarged.
Despite being predictable, Material Design is also iconic. Through the principles of color and typography, the designers at Google crafted a design system that was clear, bold, and consistent. By implementing limited palettes, designers can shape a hierarchy and streamline user experience. By using fewer colors, designers are able to create unspoken associations with hierarchy in the user’s mind, with one color being clearly defined as more important or denoting an interactive element. Another way in Material Design to show interaction is through color change. If the color of an icon changes when a user hovers over it, it intuitively implies that clicking will lead to an action taking place.
Type also factors into play when it comes to consistency. By setting rules for different types of headings and body texts, Material Designers create a system that has a clear hierarchy but leaves room for brand identity. Part of the rules behind typography in Material Design is to make sure that the relative importance of elements stays the same from page to page. This makes it efficient for the user to determine what the most important/relevant information is on each screen of a web interaction.
The language of Material Design has taken great strides to shape how users interact with the web. All of its principles work together in developing a user experience that is intuitive and seamless. Users effortlessly transfer their understanding of real life physics into applications made with Material Design, and are rewarded with a system that responds to them.
Citations
"Material Design Introduction." Material Design. Accessed April 07, 2021. https://material.io/design/introduction.
"What Is Material Design?" The Interaction Design Foundation. Accessed April 07, 2021. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/material-design"