1: It’s not just about pretty design
Websites should be smart first, then wrapped in a designer coat. Over half of any design is design intelligence and usability, not just aesthetics. Once this is established the aesthetic design can be applied. Poorly considered sites result in a unfulfilling experience for the visitor and a disappointing conversion rate for the client.
2: Mobile First
With a soar in mobile and tablet devices being used to view sites, a shift in web design is needed. It’s no longer about designing static page layouts where everything sits perfectly in a fixed position. ‘Mobile First’ is about thinking over multiple platforms and designing the content to flow naturally between all devices.
3: Layer Cake
Why be afraid of the mouse wheel? The page fold on a site is not something that should be ignored, however if you think about how the page fold behaves on different devices you start to question whether it really exists at all. We believe that the content of the page should be designed much like the layers of a cake. With each slice presenting a new slice of information. With clear navigation and the natural swipe, thumb action on a tablet device for instance, the user is taken on a journey as the page scrolls down.
4: Moving Imagery
Moving imagery such as parallax or touch sensitive sliders are paramount to modern website design and can be used to create a narrative within a page layout and cut down on vertical scrolling on responsive sites.
5: Flat ‘v’ Gooey
Over the past 10 years, website designers have been fixated on using gradients, drop shadows and soft curves to attempt to give the page texture or some form of relief. With Apple’s recent move to a flat aesthetic within their IOS and Apps there is a positive movement towards clear, smart and pin sharp content laid out on strong flat backgrounds without the fuss.