In today’s fast-paced life, what looked trendy or modern yesterday may suddenly become outdated overnight. Trends change fast. However, some trends that were once dismissed as having been overtaken by time may suddenly spring back in vogue. It is just the nature of life and the world of web design is not an exemption to this rule. So, where do you expect the web design trend to take you in 2017?
Here are some of the top web design trends to look out for this year:
Greater collaboration between web designers and developers
As the website takes a more influential role in the business and entertainment world, web designers are paying more attention to collaboration with fellow designers and developers. The increased collaboration is due to the complex nature of today’s web and mobile applications. Giants like Google and Facebook rely on huge teams of designers and developers to create different types of applications on their platforms. It is important for such teams to stay on the same page through collaboration and communication. Web designers are also collaborating and consulting via technological approaches such as DevOps. You may ask, what is DevOps? Well, DevOps is basically an operational approach that facilitates collaboration, integration, and communication between developers and IT innovations. In 2017, we expect to see more tools that facilitate collaboration between designers and developers, from shared templates to shared real-time canvas platforms such as Figma and DevOps.
More focus on big, bold type
The general consensus in the design world today is that content is still king. Designers are now focusing on ensuring that content sticks out more prominently than any other element in a website. In 2017, we expect to see more websites featuring lines of inspiring copy set in big bold type. It has become trendy for websites today to dedicate a significant amount of their screen real estate to simple but bold statements about their products or services. The statements are often clear and straight to the point.
Increased use of SVGs
Scalable vector graphics (SVGs) provide web designers and developers more design advantages than the usual image formats such as JPG, GIF, and PNG. SVGs are clear and visibly loud just like their name suggests, scalable and vector. SVGs are not pixel-based but made of vectors and therefore independent of resolution limits. They look great on any screen or device. They can even be animated. We expect to see even more use of SVGs in web design projects as we head into 2017.
More focus on animations and cinemagraphs
Animations are not new in the web design and development world. They have been used in countless websites before to create more visually engaging and fun content. Cinemagraphs have also become quite popular today. These are high-quality GIFs or videos that run on a continuous loop. In 2017, expect to see increased use of refined animations and cinemagraphs in most websites.
Return of geometric shapes and patterns
Often thought to be a trend of a bygone web design era, geometric shapes and patterns are back. These whimsical shapes and patterns add flair to otherwise flat and materially designed landscapes. A good number of creative design websites, such as the Canadian MSDS Studio, already have these daring patterned shapes and letters on their homepages.
Conclusion
Identifying and following trends is an important part of any web designer’s job. Following trends does not only inspire you but also helps you improve your skills. Trends keep the designer updated with the latest technologies.
