In the web design and development industry, things move very quickly. There are always going to be new trends and emerging technologies and as the Creative Director of a leading sustainable design agency, it’s a very exciting place to be.
Here are some thoughts of my predictions about the future of web design:
Responsive Web Design
In 2012 I was head of web development for a large digital agency and back then we were developing hand-coded responsive websites. For the majority of projects our focus was on mobile-first design and now, in 2023, that focus hasn’t really changed. Responsive web design is an essential part of modern web development as it allows websites to adapt and adjust to different screen sizes and devices, providing a seamless and user-friendly experience for users.
Minimalism
Minimalist web design is a design approach that involves using a simple and clean look and feel, often with a limited colour palette, fewer design elements, and more white space. Minimalist design helps to improve user experience by reducing clutter and distractions. A clean design allows users to focus on the content and key elements of a website, making it easier to navigate and find what they’re looking for.
Speed
In addition to being responsive, websites will need to be lightning fast to meet user expectations. We all get frustrated when a website takes ages to load. Maybe we are all becoming more impatient but it’s our job as a digital agency to ensure websites are optimised and load super quick. Well built websites will also rank higher too!
Personalisation
I believe that websites will become more personalised to the user in the future and I’m positive that websites will use responsive design to adjust content based on a user’s device, location, or preferences. It can also help to build brand loyalty and increase customer satisfaction by showing users that the website understands their needs and values their preferences.
Accessibility
It’s always been important to make websites as accessible as possible and now, more than ever, there is a greater emphasis on accessibility. Responsive design can be used to improve accessibility for users with disabilities. This is one of our priorities as an agency and there are various tools to test your website’s accessibility. Again, this will boost your ranking.
Technology
As technology continues to evolve, we may use new tools and technologies to enhance web design. For example, we may use artificial intelligence to automatically adjust website layouts based on user behavior or device type. This is something we are certainly interested in as an agency, as AI is already being used and it’s a technology that we should embrace. We should treat it as a tool and use it to our advantage. It’s our job to stay up-to-date with emerging trends and technologies and to ensure that our websites meet the needs of users.
In Summary
The future of website design is exciting but the fundamentals are essentially the same. A clean design with plenty of white space can make content easier to read, particularly on small screens. By using legible fonts and a well designed typography system, we can create a more accessible and user-friendly experience. Responsive and minimalist design is less likely to become dated over time. A clean and simple design can be easily adapted and updated as technology and design trends change. By focusing on key elements and simplifying the design, we can create more user-friendly, accessible, and visually appealing websites.
