We have seen tremendous changes and innovations in web and UI design, especially with the gradual worldwide adoption of the cloud over the past few years.
And while 2015 already witnessed a paradigm shift in web design priorities experts indicate that it was just the tip of the iceberg. Major changes include transformation of SEO and cloud services from a premium service to an economical service for the masses, as well as a changing perspective on mobile apps.
Just like the fashion industry, web design trends come in with a bang and then fizzle out without anyone noticing. While some trends are influenced by necessity, such as responsive design and cloud adoption, most major trends are based on industry variables.
One of the biggest changes in design trends of 2015 were in the field of SEO, where this mysterious phenomenon because more transparent to end users. Design trends are a reflection of developer attitudes and end-user requirements, both of which are ever-changing. So, let’s take a look at some of the key design predictions for the year 2016.
1. Design From Within
The biggest change that most businesses hope to bring about when it comes to their designing needs, is in the development of in-house design thinking. According to a recent report released by Standard & Poor’s, a company’s average lifespan has gone from 67 years during the 1920s, to a pitiful 15 years in 2015.
This has put immense pressure on businesses to innovate and cut costs. And while R&D expenses for designing aren’t as high as they are for consumer goods, they are substantial enough for businesses to invest in their own in-house design departments or studios.
2. Simplicity Will Emerge Victorious
Today’s market is the most active and unpredictable, all thanks to rapid digitization and integration. But this dynamic environment has led to an unintended consequence – a cornucopia of choices.
Right from the choice of biscuits, to cloud service providers, there are an increasing number of choices that are creating chaos and confusion in the minds of customers.
So, instead of focusing on the pros and cons of a particular product or service, consumers are now spending more time deciding on what brand to go what. So in order for consumers to make some sense out of all these choices, simplicity will become the order of the day.
3. Interactive web pages
Image source: Mykolas Puodžiūnas
Another favorable web design trend for 2016 is the ever-increasing need to make websites more appealing and engaging, and the best way to do that is to make them interactive. This can be done by providing account registration options, mini games, and even interactive chats.
And with the right developer and some perseverance, people can get users to sign up using their Facebook or Google accounts within seconds. This doesn’t just help businesses or professionals increase their customer base, but also motivates users to sign up as there is no tedious sign-up form to fill.
4. Virtual Reality for Everyone
Just a few years ago, virtual reality was only accessible to pilots or the filthy rick, but it is predicted that in 2016, virtual reality will make its mainstream debut.
Previously, VR tech was either too bulky or outrageously expensive, but the launch of VR devices like Oculus Rift have marked the beginning of a portable and affordable virtual reality experience.
2016 will be a critical year for virtual reality as major players are set to launch consumer versions of their VR tech. No one knows the real-time implications of VR on design, but you can expect it to lead to the development of truly mind-blowing designs!
5. Flat Design
Image source: Baianat
2015 saw the rise of rich, flat designs that were both easy to develop and affordable for the general public. So, it is predicted that 2016 will see an increased focus on flat design, primarily because of the very few limitations of such designs. Expect to see an increase in the number of websites that employ long scrolls, card layouts and one-page designs.
6. Customer-focus
Image source: Volodymyr Kurbatov
We all know that immersive graphics, witty one-liners and responsive UIs are great ways to create what a good design, but what if you want to take it to the next level? There is an ever-growing idea within the web design industry that future designs should be influenced by customers’ needs & preferences.
Sounds pretty logical, but it is surprising to see that web design was barely influenced by customer requirements. So it is only obvious that a customer-centric web design will promote a user’s experience with the site, enabling them to enjoy a seamless UX.
7. End of SEO?
SEO has always been an industry of outrageous claims and unquantifiable results, which is probably why Google decided to shift its focus from SEO to the use of PageRank algorithms that use hyperlinks to rate a site’s relevance.
Companies have always been claiming that they have the knowledge and expertise to fool Google’s SEO algorithm, allowing you to get your site the highest ranking possible even if the content is anything but useful. But the truth will always be that it is almost impossible to measure the success of SEO in a quantifiable manner. So, we’re all but sure that 2016 will mark the end of SEO.
8. Reduced Page Weight
Image source: Vedad Siljak
Bloated web pages have been a growing pain for web developers over the years, and is the single greatest reason for slow load times. It is estimated that the average size of a web page has ballooned by nearly 200%, since 2010. Subsequently, that has also doubled the loading times for such pages, along with their development costs.
But with the growing popularity of simple flat designs, it is possible that the average page weight will also reduce drastically. All this will happen provided that users and developers stop obsessing over HD videos, high-res images and integration of social media widgets.
9. Tiles
Image source: Michal Parulski
With the increasing demand for flat designs that focus on content rather than aesthetics, more and more website owners are looking for ways to reduce loading times while also packing in as much information as possible. Having websites with tiles gives users the best of both worlds by giving them content that is neatly packaged into tiles, while also loading in half the time.
10. The End of Apps?
Image source: Kami Wang
The seemingly common act of toggling between apps is predicted to vanish in 2016. This can be attributed to the integration of multiple apps with multiple functions, into one single usable app.
The Chinese app, WeChat, is one such example, offering over 10 million third-party apps into a single hosted platform. And since we’re already at a point where numerous technologies already work together seamlessly, we can expect the emergence of more autonomy apps that make mobile computing a simpler process.
A plausible clause for all these predictions to become a reality is the development of a hybrid cloud that provides the perfect blend of private and public clouds, gradually replacing the ubiquitous “cloud”. This will hopefully make web design a more engaging process that will lead to the development of more functional and meaningful websites in 2016.
Source: http://ift.tt/1qdLndK
No comments:
Post a Comment