Ron Johnson
Web design is the new form of modern art, combining a great visual experience with the utility of finding useful information.
Some web designers are already revered as true artists, with their works displayed in online galleries for the best websites.
Well, today we’ll talk about what makes a website worthy of induction in such a gallery in 2015.
Each year has brought its specific trends, but 2015 focuses especially on great user experience on various screen sizes, from smartphone to 25” monitors. Let us go quickly through the 5 biggest web design trends you should follow:
#1: K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
No more clutter on web pages, especially on the home page. This is the most refined form of less is more and it is one big trend, especially implemented to make browsing on smartphones a simple and pleasant experience. You do not need to reinvent the Sistine Chapel ceiling for your website background, but you need to boil down your message for the viewers in a simple and powerful image. And in simple and short sentences, too.
People do not have the time and patience to figure out where they have to click on a baroque looking website page full of colors, text, photos and animations. They will not appreciate your quirky sense of style, they will leave your website instead. So, KISS and win at user experience.
#2: The Parallax Effect
This is not some complicated astrophysical phenomenon, but a very simple trick for making a great user experience. As the viewer scrolls down, the background moves slower than the foreground, creating a 3D effect.
In 2015 the parallax effect is taken to the next level: scrolling or mouse movements interact with various properties on the page creating animations. You can use it to display sub-menus, take people to the e-shop or the blog, tell a story by scrolling down – there are no limitations but the designer’s imagination.
#3: Flat Design Is the New King
Forget about the glossy light effects to create a 3D illusion. Flat design is functional, beautiful, offers great viewing experience on any screen and is perfectly adequate for tapping on a smartphone screen.
If you want 3D elements on your page, you build them with proper software for 3D design and use them sparsely and intelligently. But no more fake 3D menu buttons, icons and logos. They are a thing of the past (and no, it does not make them classics in a hall of fame).
#4: Think Outside the Box
Do you still remember the days when each photo and each block of text was closely confined in a box on web pages? Although the physical box is gone from web design, its concept remained alive and well for years. Now it’s time to break free of the rectangle and focus on the freedom of using the available screen in the most creative way possible.
Text boxes are replaced by speech bubbles, the neatly ordered page is broken by surprising formatting and shapes. This is what creative design is about, getting out of your comfort zone and becoming truly an artist.
#5: Multimedia Becomes Standard Media
Can you imagine the web experience without sound, moving images and interaction? Not really. It is now standard practice to blend short films, widgets, menus which follow you as you scroll down the page and many other similar multimedia elements. The key to a great website experience is how you combine these elements in order to make your website easily accessible and fun to browse.
These are the top 5 trends for this year in terms of web design. Are you currently implementing at least one of them on your website? Share some of your best examples below!
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