Ever wondered why clicking a button on a website feels so natural? It’s because much of what we see on the web is inspired by how we interact with objects in real life! From flipping switches to browsing stacks of cards, designers borrow everyday experiences to create intuitive interfaces. Let’s explore some popular UI components, see where they come from in the physical world, and have a little fun along the way.
P.S.: All the UI components that you see in this blog are taken from Blade Design System
1. Button 🔘
Remember pressing the button on a toaster, doorbell, or even an elevator? That satisfying little push is exactly the experience modern designers and developers tried to replicate. On-screen buttons respond with visual feedback, much like that tactile click in real life. One click, one tap, and we’re off — just like pressing a real-world button to trigger a specific action.
2. Radio Button 📻
It might sound a bit old-school, but the radio button was inspired by the channel selector on old radios. You could only push one station button at a time: pressing a new one would pop the previous button out. This ensures you make just one choice in a given set, echoing how real-world radio buttons behave.
3. Checkbox ☑️
Think of a real-life checklist, like a grocery list. You mark items as done by ticking a box. That’s exactly how checkboxes on forms or settings pages work: checking off multiple items to indicate your choices, giving you that mini feeling of achievement each time.
4. Switch 🔀
Light switches are one of the most common household objects. Flick it up, the lights are on. Flick it down, lights out. Digital switches carry the same logic: they toggle a state on or off. That flipping motion is both intuitive and satisfying, just minus the elbow grease.
5. Input Field 📝
Think of the humble notepad or paper form. We write down our name, date of birth, or any detail required. On the web, the input field is your digital notepad. It waits patiently for you to scribble in your details, sending them off once you submit.
6. Slider 🎚
Volume sliders have evolved into modern digital sliders. Drag it up or down — just like that physical slider on your stereo system — to adjust levels. The immediate feedback you get is reminiscent of turning the dial up to crank that awesome tune.
7. Tabs 📑
Tabbed folders and binders have been around for ages in offices. Each tab displays a new section or topic while keeping the other tabs accessible. Digital tabs bring this concept to the web, making navigation snappy and organized.
8. Drawer 🗄
We’ve all had that junk drawer in the kitchen — slide it open when you need something, then close it up. A digital drawer is just that for your user interface: hidden away until needed, then easily accessible with a simple click or swipe.
9. Date Picker 📅
Ever had to thumb through a wall calendar to figure out the date of an upcoming event? The date picker re-creates that experience digitally. You select the month, the day, and voilà — just like flipping through a physical calendar minus the paper cuts.
10. Cards 🃏
Borrowed from physical index cards or playing cards, digital cards group content together in a neat rectangular package. They’re easy to shuffle around, stack, and organize, making scanning and browsing content feel effortless.
11. Progress Bar ⏳
Think about watching a fuel gauge creep down as you drive — progress bars do something very similar in the digital realm! They show you how far you’ve come and how close you are to the finish line, much like a dashboard meter that lets you know when you need to refuel.
12. Alert ⚠️
Think of a roadside caution sign or a big flashing traffic signal: bold, in-your-face, impossible to ignore. That’s exactly what an on-screen alert aims to mimic — capturing your attention to deliver an urgent message or reminder.
13. Pagination 📖
If you’ve ever used a book’s page numbers to flip through chapters, you’ve seen pagination in action. On the web, we split content across multiple pages to avoid endless scrolling. Clicking “Next” or “Previous” is just a digital way of turning a page.
14. Badge 🎖
Think of a sticker or a pin on your shirt, showing a message or achievement. Badges on web apps do the same: they highlight notifications or statuses, providing a quick snapshot of what’s new, just as real-life badges announce your proud accomplishments.
15. Breadcrumb 🍞
Think of the Hansel and Gretel story: leaving crumbs on the path to find their way back. A digital breadcrumb trail shows you where you are in a site’s structure and how to go back. This navigation tool is your personal trail of crumbs.
16. Toast 🥪
A quick pop-up notification is much like a toaster: once your toast (or message) is ready, it springs into view. And just like real toast, it’s usually gone after a few moments — hopefully without being burnt.
17. Menu 🍽
Menus on websites function just like restaurant menus. Browse the options, pick what you need, and the item (feature or page) is served. Easy to read, easy to choose — no bickering over what’s for dinner.
18. Tag 🏷️
Often used to label or categorize items (think of sticking a small label on a physical folder). A digital tag provides context at a glance.
Parting Thoughts
Web design is often a mirror reflecting the real world’s objects and interactions. By incorporating these familiar patterns, builders create interfaces that feel natural to users. When you see a button on your next website, think of that elevator or toaster button. That sense of recognition and comfort is what makes modern UI design both intuitive and fun.
Thanks for taking this journey through the everyday inspirations behind common UI components. The next time you interact with an accordion or a loader on a site, see if you can spot its real-life counterpart. You might be surprised how much we rely on old-school inspiration for our new-age digital playground!
From Real to Digital: How UI Components are Inspired from Real World Objects was originally published in UX Planet on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.