In the past year we have seen technological advances that connect us better with our users, new styles that push the boundaries and a stronger focus on documentation and accessibility guidelines to make the web a more consistent and accessible environment for everyone. With so many developments, it is important to slow down and look at which trends linger and what new things we can expect. Here are some of the more striking things we can expect in web design.
In the past year we have seen technological advances that connect us better with our users, new styles that push the boundaries and a stronger focus on documentation and accessibility guidelines to make the web a more consistent and accessible environment for everyone.
With so many developments, it is important to slow down and look at which trends linger and what new things we can expect.
Here are some of the more striking things we can expect in web design.
1. Flat design
Flat Design is a minimalist design approach with the use of clean and open spaces, bright colors and simple two-dimensional illustrations. This style of design started as a new trend, but over the years it has become the standard for web design. The emergence of a flat design can be attributed to the need for fast-loading websites that offer users a pleasant browsing experience on both mobile and desktop. Flat design is mainly based on simple illustrations that weigh much less data than sites that use large images or heavy images. This means an overall much faster loading time. Reducing the clutter and unnecessary decorative parts of a design helps users to focus on the important parts and make navigation easier.
2. Animated GIFs Today 's user is in an 'instant satisfaction' mindset when it comes to finding the information they are looking for. That means we only have a short time frame to get their attention and provide them with what they are looking for. GIFs can convey complex ideas in a short time while being engaging and entertaining. An added bonus is that they also work on most browsers and mobile devices, making them accessible to everyone.
3. Conversational Bots & Machine Learning
Last year we talked about the rise of conversational bots and machine learning on websites. Since then, chatting with bots has become second nature. We have seen enormous progress in artificial intelligence and the possibilities of bots. Heck, we see it every day when Google gives us automatic suggestions or when Facebook asks us if we want to be tagged in a photo.
Many companies see the benefits that bots can bring to their organization, including:
- More convenience by giving users direct answers and filtering them by the right contact based on their problems
- Improved efficiency by facilitating simpler and time-saving transitions between cases.
4. White space
As mentioned above, web design moves more in a 'less is more' mindset. That means that we see websites choosing simpler layouts with larger amounts of whitespace. White space (also called negative space) is simply the empty space on a page. Think of it as the breathing space around page elements. Using white space to separate the different sections on your pages helps improve readability and makes it easier for users to digest important information.
5. Sketch like the Go-to Web Design software In the course of time there have been endless, polarizing debates in the technical world; Mac versus PC. GIF versus JIF. Apple versus Android. For those who are in the web design space today, we are in the middle of a battle for the best design tool: Photoshop vs.. Sketch. For years Photoshop was the go-to tool for performing web design, but in recent years, Photoshop has begun to lose ground to Sketch. Sketch is a software that has been specially developed for web designers and can cover most of the design process, from designing to prototyping to customer presentation. Because of Sketch's powerful open source library of plug-ins and the ability to handle so much of the design process, I predict in 2019 that more companies will make the switch from photoshop and switch to using Sketch as their most important design software.
6. Broken grid and asymmetrical layouts
Recently, web design has put a lot of emphasis on designs within a fixed network. A grid system helps designers to maintain alignment and consistency in a design and frankly, it makes it easier for developers to bring it to life. However, we are increasingly starting to see designers break outside the standard grid. This helps designers create more creative freedom with their work and create a different level of hierarchy on a page. Creating this extra level of hierarchy is extremely useful when it comes to focusing a user's eyes on a page and drawing it to the most important usable parts of your site, and frankly this creates more intriguing and unique designs.
7. Design systems
Simply put, a design system is a collection of reusable components, guided by a series of rules, limitations and principles. In the past year these systems have become an important part of many teams. Large companies such as Shopify, Trello and Airbnb have entrusted the design system with building in-depth systems and even assigning pages on their sites for everyone to see. Once implemented, design systems help teams to reduce inconsistencies and speed up your design process.
8. The use of organic forms
An organic form is any form that is irregular and uneven. In other words, this is a nice way to say imperfect. They seem more hand-drawn and humanistic. With their unusual appearance, these can be used to grab a user's attention and add a personal touch to your site. In combination with an illustration or image, they can really add a nice level of depth to your site, breaking the monotony of the same circles and squares that we're used to in the design.
9. Accessibility of websites
Okay, the latter is not a trend, but it is a movement that cannot be ignored in 2019. If you are not yet familiar with accessibility, this has to do with the design of a website for people with disabilities. When websites are well designed and coded, people with disabilities can easily use them. Unfortunately, there are currently many sites with accessibility barriers that make it difficult for people with disabilities to use. As WCAG 2.0 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is being enforced more and more, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that your website is in order.
The web is an important tool in all of our lives, so it is important to ensure that it provides equal experience and opportunity, regardless of how it is used.