Web Design Trends You Must Know for 2016
Things are moving fast in an increasingly mobile global economy, and web design is right up there with it. Back in the day, web designers pretty much had a free hand on the overall look of a website, as well as the individual pages. Today, however, there is a concerted move towards trends, and these have practical as well as esthetic applications. Here are web design trends in 2015 that may very well spill over well into 2016 and even beyond.
Homogenous user interface patterns
If you notice that many websites look awfully alike, it is because they are. Many web designers use templates in making websites, and some templates are used more often than others are. This is not necessarily a bad thing, because the most popular templates became popular because they work on so many levels. Many of these sites also have similar patterns such as the hamburger menu, shopping cart, and registration, which makes perfect sense because these are functional elements, and uniformity makes it easier for users. Card layouts and hero images also contribute to the feeling of sameness in these websites, but again, it works, so they use it.
Use of animation
It may seem counterintuitive given the emphasis on quick loading times for websites, but animation is getting a boost this year, specifically hover animations and slideshows. Other aspects of site animations include loading, 3D motion animation, scrolling, and background animation. However, rich animation only works well with single-page sites, not so much for multiple-page websites.
Microinteractions
This has been around for about as long as the Internet first became available to the public, so it is probably going to be around a few years more. However, savvy designers create microinteractions that humanizes the action, making it part of the conversation.
Material Design
There are two forks to the look of a website that start off from a minimalist perspective: flat and Google’s material design. Both emphasize simplicity, clean angles, and open spaces, but material design adds a shade or two for depth. These two trends are especially important for transitioning to mobile devices, which is always a problem for many website designers that despair of ruining the overall look of the page when it comes to the limited screen space of a mobile device.
Fluid grids
Another new trend in web design is the use of fluid grids to create a Responsive Design. This means that web content and media are formatted in ratios relative to a grid rather than pixels. Text, images, and frames respond proportionally to the viewing environment, automatically scaling down or up and rearranging themselves with a minimum of action on the part of the user. With mobile devices firmly the browsing environment of choice, Responsive Design is likely to become the new standard in web design.
Flat is still good
As mentioned earlier, flat is the popular option for many web designers, and 2016 is likely to see an evolution of sorts. Experts anticipate an increased use of long shadows, simple fonts, fewer page element s, and “ghost” buttons. The focus is to enhance the user experience by making the website readable, versatile, and most importantly, compatible across all devices. Together with responsive design, it is a guaranteed favorite among designers and users alike.
Bold colors
In keeping with the minimalist trend, website designs are more likely to use vibrant, happy colors. The overall look just about demands it, making it more attractive without looking cluttered. It improves visual connections and communication, and with the availability of high definition technology, the colors are more vibrant than ever.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that website design is not about the design. It is about the user experience. The default reaction of any designer is to strive for a unique, distinctive look. However, websites are more about function than form, and users are not there to admire the view. It is a sad but true fact that a typical user will only notice the design of a website if there is something wrong with it. These design trends are important for website designers to know because they enhance the user experience, and that is the only reason that counts.
Things are moving fast in an increasingly mobile global economy, and web design is right up there with it. Back in the day, web designers pretty much had a free hand on the overall look of a website, as well as the individual pages. Today, however, there is a concerted move towards trends, and these have practical as well as esthetic applications. Here are web design trends in 2015 that may very well spill over well into 2016 and even beyond.
Homogenous user interface patterns
If you notice that many websites look awfully alike, it is because they are. Many web designers use templates in making websites, and some templates are used more often than others are. This is not necessarily a bad thing, because the most popular templates became popular because they work on so many levels. Many of these sites also have similar patterns such as the hamburger menu, shopping cart, and registration, which makes perfect sense because these are functional elements, and uniformity makes it easier for users. Card layouts and hero images also contribute to the feeling of sameness in these websites, but again, it works, so they use it.
Use of animation
It may seem counterintuitive given the emphasis on quick loading times for websites, but animation is getting a boost this year, specifically hover animations and slideshows. Other aspects of site animations include loading, 3D motion animation, scrolling, and background animation. However, rich animation only works well with single-page sites, not so much for multiple-page websites.
Microinteractions
This has been around for about as long as the Internet first became available to the public, so it is probably going to be around a few years more. However, savvy designers create microinteractions that humanizes the action, making it part of the conversation.
Material Design
There are two forks to the look of a website that start off from a minimalist perspective: flat and Google’s material design. Both emphasize simplicity, clean angles, and open spaces, but material design adds a shade or two for depth. These two trends are especially important for transitioning to mobile devices, which is always a problem for many website designers that despair of ruining the overall look of the page when it comes to the limited screen space of a mobile device.
Fluid grids
Another new trend in web design is the use of fluid grids to create a Responsive Design. This means that web content and media are formatted in ratios relative to a grid rather than pixels. Text, images, and frames respond proportionally to the viewing environment, automatically scaling down or up and rearranging themselves with a minimum of action on the part of the user. With mobile devices firmly the browsing environment of choice, Responsive Design is likely to become the new standard in web design.
Flat is still good
As mentioned earlier, flat is the popular option for many web designers, and 2016 is likely to see an evolution of sorts. Experts anticipate an increased use of long shadows, simple fonts, fewer page element s, and “ghost” buttons. The focus is to enhance the user experience by making the website readable, versatile, and most importantly, compatible across all devices. Together with responsive design, it is a guaranteed favorite among designers and users alike.
Bold colors
In keeping with the minimalist trend, website designs are more likely to use vibrant, happy colors. The overall look just about demands it, making it more attractive without looking cluttered. It improves visual connections and communication, and with the availability of high definition technology, the colors are more vibrant than ever.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that website design is not about the design. It is about the user experience. The default reaction of any designer is to strive for a unique, distinctive look. However, websites are more about function than form, and users are not there to admire the view. It is a sad but true fact that a typical user will only notice the design of a website if there is something wrong with it. These design trends are important for website designers to know because they enhance the user experience, and that is the only reason that counts.