Web Designer Tips to Survive 2017
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End of traditional web design
26End of traditional web designThe concept of web design in the traditional sense is fading away. In traditional web design, the role of design was more to make the tech look good to its audience. Web design is more than that. It has morphed into something bigger. Web designers (or experience designers) no longer just make websites “look beautiful”. Rather they need to look into the experience of users and their stories.
The concept of web design in the traditional sense is fading away. In traditional web design, the role of design was more to make the tech look good to its audience. Web design is more than that. It has morphed into something bigger. Web designers (or experience designers) no longer just make websites “look beautiful”. Rather they need to look into the experience of users and their stories.
End of traditional web design
The concept of web design in the traditional sense is fading away. Web design has morphed into something bigger. Web designers (or experience designers) no longer just make websites “look beautiful”. Rather they need to look into the experience of users and their stories.
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Intelligent UI
38Intelligent UI2016 has been a big year for conversational interfaces. In 2017 people will interact with companies, services, and bots through chat, messaging, and other natural language interfaces. As messaging platforms (such as Slack, Facebook Messenger, or WeChat) are overtaking social networks and app downloads, companies are starting to think about ways on how to utilize this change. Therefore the design of conversational user interfaces (for example for websites) will become an increasingly important topic for most web designers in 2017.
2016 has been a big year for conversational interfaces. In 2017 people will interact with companies, services, and bots through chat, messaging, and other natural language interfaces. As messaging platforms (such as Slack, Facebook Messenger, or WeChat) are overtaking social networks and app downloads, companies are starting to think about ways on how to utilize this change. Therefore the design of conversational user interfaces (for example for websites) will become an increasingly important topic for most web designers in 2017.
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GIFs and other animations
17GIFs and other animationsA lot of websites and apps use animations for a while. What’s new is that GIFs are going mainstream. Now built into Facebook and Twitter, GIFs can also be used for your web design. But don’t overuse them – they work well to draw a user’s attention. GIFs enable you to provide a richer product experience, explain a workflow, or simply provide a how to guide for your users. There are several GIF creation tools such as Photoshop, Giphy, or record.it.
A lot of websites and apps use animations for a while. What’s new is that GIFs are going mainstream. Now built into Facebook and Twitter, GIFs can also be used for your web design. But don’t overuse them – they work well to draw a user’s attention. GIFs enable you to provide a richer product experience, explain a workflow, or simply provide a how to guide for your users. There are several GIF creation tools such as Photoshop, Giphy, or record.it.
GIFs and other animations
GIFs are going mainstream. Now built into Facebook & Twitter, GIFs can also be used for your web design. But don’t overuse them – they work well to draw a user’s attention. GIFs enable you to provide a richer product experience & explain a workflow.
Eschewing much of the over-the-top luddism that now fills the New York Times (“Silicon Valley is Not Your Friends”), the Guardian (“The Tech Insiders Who Fear a Smartphone Dystopia”), and other mainstream media outlets, Keen proffers practical solutions to a wide range of tech-related woes. These include persistent public and private surveillance, labor displacement, and fake news.Eschewing much of the over-the-top luddism that now fills the New York Times (“Silicon Valley is Not Your Friends”), the Guardian (“The Tech Insiders Who Fear a Smartphone Dystopia”), and other mainstream media outlets, Keen proffers practical solutions to a wide range of tech-related woes. These include persistent public and private surveillance, labor displacement, and fake news.
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Next generation of RWD
15Next generation of RWDResponsive design will continue dominate because it is one of the most effective ways of achieving a good UX. CSS media queries offer websites flexibility and allow them to adjust according to the different devices the site is being accessed on. As website providers we must accept the situation, though, that there’s not a one size fits all situation here. I do believe that offering fewer options, less responsive views, conversions of those websites will go up.
Responsive design will continue dominate because it is one of the most effective ways of achieving a good UX. CSS media queries offer websites flexibility and allow them to adjust according to the different devices the site is being accessed on. As website providers we must accept the situation, though, that there’s not a one size fits all situation here. I do believe that offering fewer options, less responsive views, conversions of those websites will go up.
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Minimalistic web design
5Minimalistic web designMinimalism is being taken to a whole new level in 2017, so instead of being hit with a homepage, users are now presented with a ‘card’. These are entry points which act as the doorway to more information. Within a website itself, multiple cards can also be used to visually suggest a topic and entice users to click. Basically, people now want de-cluttered, simplistic, and visually explanatory web designs.
Minimalism is being taken to a whole new level in 2017, so instead of being hit with a homepage, users are now presented with a ‘card’. These are entry points which act as the doorway to more information. Within a website itself, multiple cards can also be used to visually suggest a topic and entice users to click. Basically, people now want de-cluttered, simplistic, and visually explanatory web designs.
Minimalistic web design
Minimalism is being taken to a whole new level in 2017. Websites are now using cards and within a website itself, multiple cards can also be used to visually suggest a topic and entice users to click. Basically, people now want de-cluttered, simplistic, and visually explanatory web designs.
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Data visualization
14Data visualizationData and analytics are more important than ever and now big brands are offering their users a chance to see the stats for themselves. Presenting data in visual ways increases user interaction with this information. Particularly useful when it comes to understanding user representation, colorful charts such as the ones you can create using Tableau, are eye-catching and draw user’s attention. data visualization design trend.
Data and analytics are more important than ever and now big brands are offering their users a chance to see the stats for themselves. Presenting data in visual ways increases user interaction with this information. Particularly useful when it comes to understanding user representation, colorful charts such as the ones you can create using Tableau, are eye-catching and draw user’s attention. data visualization design trend.
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Fewer stock photos
6Fewer stock photosThere’s an interesting web design trend worth mentioning. As people, we do prefer to see bespoke pictures which really relate to the company or business, rather than a generic image. Photography is an art form and one which perhaps got a little lost for a few years. But in 2017 it’s back and more powerful than ever before. Images of your people (meet the team) are popular too – put a face to the brand.
There’s an interesting web design trend worth mentioning. As people, we do prefer to see bespoke pictures which really relate to the company or business, rather than a generic image. Photography is an art form and one which perhaps got a little lost for a few years. But in 2017 it’s back and more powerful than ever before. Images of your people (meet the team) are popular too – put a face to the brand.
Fewer stock photos
As people, we do prefer to see bespoke pictures which really relate to the company or business, rather than a generic image. Photography is an art form and one which perhaps got a little lost for a few years. Images of your people (meet the team) are popular too – put a face to the brand.
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Material design
12Material designMaterial design has been developed by Google in recent years and is being steadily rolled out across its applications, including Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive, and YouTube. Material design shows up as a search term since early 2013, however, it only went mainstream in 2015. It is a way of designing to create a hierarchy of meaning and importance on the page, drawing the user’s focus to different areas all the while moving and responding to the user’s actions.
Material design has been developed by Google in recent years and is being steadily rolled out across its applications, including Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive, and YouTube. Material design shows up as a search term since early 2013, however, it only went mainstream in 2015. It is a way of designing to create a hierarchy of meaning and importance on the page, drawing the user’s focus to different areas all the while moving and responding to the user’s actions.
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Long-scrolling websites
8Long-scrolling websitesThere are a pro’s and con’s to long-scrolling websites. All in all, we do see more and more long-scrolling websites, mainly to the success of seemingly bottomless websites like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow users to scroll for hours, constantly seeing new content. As a human race, we’re used to the action now. Many sites are doing away with menus and tabs and instead putting everything on one, long page. The site can be broken up with images, typography, and videos to add some excitement to the experience. Better keep on scrolling.
There are a pro’s and con’s to long-scrolling websites. All in all, we do see more and more long-scrolling websites, mainly to the success of seemingly bottomless websites like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow users to scroll for hours, constantly seeing new content. As a human race, we’re used to the action now. Many sites are doing away with menus and tabs and instead putting everything on one, long page. The site can be broken up with images, typography, and videos to add some excitement to the experience. Better keep on scrolling.
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Typography goes big.
9Typography goes big.Typography is getting bigger and bolder. Already 2016 saw an increase in size and ‘out-there’ designs but this trend isn’t stopping any time soon. Brands will be going bigger, more eye-catching, and even full screen. Dynamic colours and textures will be added to interesting and vibrant fonts to create an overall ‘wow’ effect.
It seems typography works well both to for drawing and keeping user’s attention. Large typography can be used effective to break up the grids, especially if the site has a long scrolling page.Typography is getting bigger and bolder. Already 2016 saw an increase in size and ‘out-there’ designs but this trend isn’t stopping any time soon. Brands will be going bigger, more eye-catching, and even full screen. Dynamic colours and textures will be added to interesting and vibrant fonts to create an overall ‘wow’ effect.
It seems typography works well both to for drawing and keeping user’s attention. Large typography can be used effective to break up the grids, especially if the site has a long scrolling page.
