It’s exciting to see emerging trends from a Digital Project Manager’s point of view and think about incorporating it in one of my projects. Although I’m not a designer myself, web projects are a hugely collaborative process and it’s great to bounce ideas off each other. 2014 has been a big year for web design, especially for responsive. I thought I would share my favourite trends that I think are standing out and will spread further into 2015.
Flat visuals
Although there has been a massive development in the 3D visuals with jQuery and CSS3, simplistic flat visuals have been the star of the show this year. Graphics have gone into regression with no drop-shadowing and flashy effects in sight. Think apple.com and honest and simple visuals. It appeals to consumers thanks to its clutter free feel that enhances the content. Web developers like to use it because it loads quickly. Practical and easy on the eyes – I’m a fan. A little shout out from the Holy Trinity that is Google Material Design, Microsoft UI and Apple who have done wonders for its popularity too. The term in the air I believe is ‘Simple is golden, content is king’.
Handwritten fonts (typography)
Gone are the days when handwritten type fonts were only used on personal blogs and the kids’ section of commercial websites. The big dogs are at it now to create a more personal connection with their consumers. My favourite is Diet Coke campaign shown below. It fits the campaign tone and it’s fun. There are hundreds of font generators online so if you want to see what your brand messaging will look like, have a go. Let me know what you think on twitter @solbyambadorj.
Evolution of responsive design
Mobile access to web has reached a new high. So much so that Google introduced in its search ranking a mobile specific option and CNN reported that in Jan 2014, more users in the US accessed the internet from mobile devices than PCs. Not only mobile and tablet responsive design has seen some really great examples, the concept is ever expanding. With smart TVs and watches on the market, it challenges the traditional design layout; navigation menus needs to be equally informative and appropriately sized for devices. It also challenges the process we follow to create a website, which leads to my next trend.
Mobile-first design
Nowadays, rarely any website gets built without a responsive version. Certainly our clients know the value mobile users will bring. We design a desktop version followed by mobile and tablet versions. However, some web design houses have been creating mobile versions first and adding on features as they see fit for larger versions. This is a very interesting idea that again links us to the simplicity concept. This method allows design creators to identify the most essential parts of the site which is a great exercise in itself. Following that they’ve been adding features/designs that will optimise the usage of the specific device.
2015 will be a very exciting year for us at Delineo. We already have great projects lined up that we’re itching to get stuck into. What is your favourite trend in digital right now? Please share your thoughts with us @delineo.