Web Design Progress In 2011

Tweet by Caragh Logan

At the beginning of this year we launched into a new decade, and with it web design and development somewhat fused in distinction. These days the net savvy require more from a web site than just flashy designs; function now reigns supreme in terms of web design. London based web design agencies are leading the way in terms of innovation.

When looking for a web design agency for your project you should search for one that strives to stay relevant and up-to-date. Gone are the days when designers can impress with easily forgotten but well laid out designs; now more than ever before the ultimate goal of a superior designer is to create a captivating online environment, where all the elements work together to forge a site that takes a user on a journey throughout the site, discouraging them from using the back button. A talented web design agency will understand the power of colour scheme, easy access to information and quick response – and now this must work across smart phones, netbooks, tablets and so on.

Throughout the last year CSS3 and HTML5 have really come to the fore as designers are finally beginning to let go of Flash, which doesn’t work well with new technologies accessed by potential users. Though Flash and HTML5 are not equal opponents, there is plenty of room for both, with HTML5 easing the pressure when a designer might usually build the entire site in Flash, which can now just be used for the extraordinary elements a site may require. Possibly most excitingly though is that CSS3 is now readily available, making Photoshop almost redundant.

The last year has seen an end to over-done design and a move towards simplicity. A sales message on a simple backdrop works wonders. Quiet backgrounds in greens, yellows or even reds are very effective. Limiting your palette to just a few colours but working throughout the shades will add variety whilst maintaining simplicity. Ensure that your web design agency are aware of the message you want to convey – they can then choose colours best fitting with your project.

Within the last year or so an array of mobile products have become available to the market – smartphones, iPads, netbooks etc – meaning that any web design should be responsive to multiple viewports. Ensuring that your website is mobile ready means more than just removing the detailing from the site’s design which is a good job as would create a hollow representation of your brand. With the help of CSS3 mobile web design has evolved rapidly and allows your coding to conform to each user’s viewport.

Another consideration should now be designing for touch screens, rather than the traditional mouse. With the explosion of iPads, iPhones and the like, technology is more tactile than ever – does your web design agency consider fingertip navigation in their design? You should ensure that they are making decisions around layouts, horizontal scrolling, hovering, indicating links and drop down menus with touchscreen technology in mind.