A Web Designer’s Cheat Sheet for 2014
- 1. A Web Designer’s Cheat Sheet for 2014 By Activ Eight Dimensions Pvt. Ltd.
- 2. To start things off, here’s what you will not find in this blog post – no predictions, no talking about what ‘could’ work, no suggestions for the upcoming trends, etc. Basically, I am not going to talk about anything that seems kind of probable. Instead, we are going to talk about the methods, design trends and techniques that are already around us but only recently made it into the design mainstream. We will discuss design styles and trends that have already been accepted by the community and have earned a reputation in the business world. Every year starts off with new beginnings and new hopes for development in every field of work. 2014 was no different, with hopes tied to its trunk. We saw the excitement disseminate in small packets around the world with ‘predictions’ and ‘best of 2013’ lists that clouded up the online platform. No one could say which prediction would be crowned as the industry trend in the coming year and which ones would die off just as a mere prediction.
- 3. However, today we are in a position to look back at those predictions and check with the current trends to make that distinction. So, here is a quick list of design trends that we would be seeing more of – like a cheat sheet of do’s and don’ts for web designers. Flat design While there are many reasons why flat design was a change waiting to happen, the most important aspect of it is the lightweight. Flat graphics use less space and are not memory- intensive which makes them a good choice for designs that are to be used online. Less memory translates to less processing, ergo less waiting when loading. A robust design strategy for software and app design, it was only practical to shift from skeuomorphism to flat design.
- 4. Parallax effect When we are covering the online medium, the discussion somewhere crosses the point of being ‘minimal yet appealing’. Designers gave the parallax effect a green signal when they saw the impact it had on the clients who were looking for that minimal but appealing look for their websites. Responsive designs and parallax work together in beautiful synchronization. Retro graphics Filters paved their way into one of people’s favourites when they saw how a few filters could instantaneously transform their boring plain vanilla selfies into appealing works of art. Instagram-esque images were a big phenomenon in 2013; retro graphics were reincarnated during that time. They say fashion repeats itself every now and then, and reviving graphics inspired by an era of arcade games only befits our taste for simplicity and minimalism.
- 5. Hand-drawn graphics While we have seen iconic hand-written logos of Paul Smith and Disney in the past, hand-drawn graphics have also been around the corner waiting. Craftsmanship is entering the big doors again. Today, detailed, high-fidelity illustrations can get you serious attention in the online world. After many digitally conceived design patterns, hand-drawn written design are back in demand on websites – and rightfully so. Pragmatic approach Whenever your client hands over a project, he expects you to come up with a strategy that is appropriate for the purpose and also renders practical to the entire process. A growing digital trend in web design is pure pragmatism, which can be understood as keeping things as simple as possible. It could be a simple combination of flat layout, minimalistic coloured design and fluidic navigation that makes all the difference.
- 6. Video Video is an increasingly popular medium for visual storytellers. Embedding videos in the website design to give it an up-beat feel by structuring content in different format helps improve the impact of a website. You can never go wrong with video in web design. Authenticity People have become more specific in the choices they make and the value of an average consumer value has increased over the years. They understand how much their click is worth to a website and therefore they demand websites to be authentic and distinctive in design and functionality. Documented in several research-based website design surveys, this growing trend represents a desire for a coveted emotional connect in consumer design. The above list of design do’s and don’ts make a good set of examples that encompasses what a consumer demands and what clients look for in a website designer. Understanding and learning to master the above techniques will help you improve your knowledge and skills and make you a better web designer. Give them a try!
- 7. Activ Eight Dimensions Pvt. Ltd. Capri, 1st Floor, Anant Kanekar Marg, Opp. HDIL Towers, Bandra (East), Mumbai 400 051, India. Website: www.aed.in Blog: blog.aed.in Tel: 91 22 6123 2121 Fax: 91 22 6123 2123 Email: info@aed.in