Table of Contents
What is a card in UI design?
Cards in UI designs are rectangles/squares in a self-contained area. The content in them is separate from other on-page elements, which can impact readability.
You should use cards in UI design when you want visitors to focus on specific information aspects.
What is the anatomy of a UI card?
UI cards normally have these features:
- Containers: The container is the shape in which the content is held.
- Headers: The title/main heading; this is not an absolute necessity.
- Image/Icon: This is some kind of visual content, such as a photo or logo; again, this is not always required.
- Body: Where the text and other aspects go within the card.
- Footer: Used for metadata and other forms of extra information; this is, like headers and images/icons, optional.
How does card design work?
Card designs visually organize information by grouping related aspects. Depending on your card content, you might want to add links and other interactive aspects.
What are the benefits of using card designs in UI?
Some of the reasons to consider using UI card design are:
- Visual Organization: Use cards if you need to make complex information more readable.
- Scannability: Information should be easily findable within UI cards for simplified reading.
- Adaptability: Use card designs to present information on varying screen sizes.
- Versatility: You should use card designs if you have to present different types of content.
- User Engagement: Add interactive elements, such as buttons.
What are some common use cases for card designs?
Instances in which you’ll see card designs used include:
- Product Listings: eCommerce stores use card designs to highlight product prices and descriptions. Titles, images, and other elements (e.g. star ratings) are also used.
- News/Article Feeds: Publications, blogs, and other businesses may use card designs to summarize articles and add a featured image, and the headline may also appear here.
- Social Media Content: Text, photos, and videos extracted from social media might be used in cards. Sometimes, you’ll see this appear as an embed in articles.
- Dashboard Widgets: Data summaries, statistics, and other metrics might be included in dashboard widget cards within different software tools.
- Search Results: Card designs are sometimes used in search results; here, you’ll see information snippets and links. You can then click on a result.
These are some of the instances that you’ll see card designs used online. Designers and developers must consider how they organize information and maximize visual appeal, while also considering the user experience.
Conclusion
Modern website designs consist of a lot of elements, one of which is card designs. Learn the basics of card design to be able to create a website that drives traffic and engages with your target audience.