To Skeu or Not to Skeu, That is the Question

Are we about to experience a paradigm shift away from Skeuomorphic design? If Apple has its way, perhaps. But, is this a positive? Is this good for UX, or not? Is this the death of the icon?

Knowing when and how to use Skeuomorphic design is in itself, both art and science. Imagine if your favorite game no longer had imagery based on reality, but was based on cartoon-like illustrations, and flat ones at that. None of the modeling that we have grown accustomed to in many new adaptations of traditional cartoon characters. Imagine if a button no longer looked like a button.

Affordance? No.

Just as it’s been ingrained in usability analysts to seek affordability in controls, is it to be pulled out from underneath us? Has a simple plus sign become so widely accepted as a button? As the Dalai Lama said, “Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly”. And are we?

As a photographer, both digital and analog, I use a lot of photo apps on my iPhone and iPad. It’s enormously handy to have a reasonably accurate light meter with you where ever you go. And one of my favorite apps is myLightmeter Pro.

myLightmeter Pro, Standard Interface.

There’s a free version of myLightmeter, but I bought the paid version not only for its additional features, but cool dual interface. The Pro version has both the “gas pump” style readout, and this:

myLightmeter Pro, “Classic” Interface.

Neither one of these interfaces seem to resemble any traditional light meter that I’m familiar with. And yet I can easily identify with and use them. Certainly app based light meters don’t need to have this appearance, but for me, it enhances my experience. Remember, usable = cool, and by that standard, these are most cool and most usable.

Light Meter was my previous go-to app. Its interface mimics that of a digital SLR, still a Skeuomorphism, ableit a more modern one. Coolness factor? Low. Usability? Less, due to the low coolness factor; it simply doesn’t appeal to me as much as myLightmeter.

Light Meter by Horace Ho; DSLR-like skeuomorphic interface.

I find it interesting that while 3D is trending in movies, we seem to be moving away from it in UIs. Is this perhaps because the skeumorphic interface clashes with the real? Certainly the photos and videos we compose on our phones won’t be confused with the interface used to generate them. But if all things are to be 3D shortly, shouldn’t our icons and buttons reflect this?

Remember what the Dalia Lama also said…
“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values”