After 2019 has passed by, it’s the perfect time to focus on 2020. The last decade has witnessed some new trends in web design developed that last over time, and others fall into obscurity. Based on our experience, we’ve discovered that movements that focus on enhancing user experience survive.
To give you a head start on trends for web development in 2020, we’ve created an assortment of new and well-established directions expected to impact web design throughout the coming year. Here’s our top 10:
Minimalist Design and Navigation
After a decade of experimenting with online maximalism, The end of the decade brought more simple designs focusing on streamlining user experiences. While flashy design with moving parts may look impressive at first look, there’s a price of valuing design over substance, particularly for companies. If your visitors can’t find the information they’re searching for on your website, it’s less likely that they’ll make a purchase or come back. Therefore, we anticipate the trend toward minimalist designs to continue, particularly regarding navigation.
Continued Use of White Space
This is a trend that goes hand-in-hand with minimalist design. However, it’s distinct also since it’s part of a concept that focuses on removing any elements that could hinder the order of information. In general, this “less is more” approach lets your most crucial content be the main focus but also increases the speed of your website and speed, which can be a significant aspect of the user experience. Also, the word “white” in white space is often taken literally, but that doesn’t always have to be that way. It’s possible to incorporate different colors and textures with enough breathing space.
Voice Search Technology Integration
If you’re a fan of Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant, many consumers are using voice technology today, and smart speakers are the norm, not an exception. This means that voice user interfaces (VUIs) are expected to be integrated into the web design process and make sense when considering their impact on user experience. When used to ask questions or navigate a site, be prepared for more websites to use this technology by 2020.
User-Focused Design
We’ve already touched on this, but it deserves its spot on this list. If you think your online job is to help a client solve their specific issue, then it’s crucial to focus on their path to discover the solution. Although you may have the particular product or service they’re seeking, If they visit your site but can’t locate it quickly and easily, your site has failed to fulfill its purpose. This trend was first noticed in the decade that began, and we believe it will last throughout the coming decade.
Combining Photography and Graphics
Although combining graphics and photography may be unwise, it can be successful if done correctly. Illustrations using images can be a bit more playful when used in a limited amount. However, they must be more specific to convey complicated ideas. Ultimately, ensuring your brand is aligned with branding standards is the most important thing to succeed in this new trend. That means you can ensure your combinations are consistent and reflect the brand’s character.
Microinteractions
This new trend is gaining traction across more and more websites, and we’re looking forward to discovering how it develops in 2020. Microinteractions are often animated and utilized with call-to-action (CTA) and scrolling. For example, if you like, adore, or “haha” a Facebook post, a small amount of motion introduces a new degree of interaction. For businesses, they are typically used for CTAs on both ends of your sales funnels or while scrolling through your favorite items or services to advertise a sale.
Bold, Oversized Typography
To continue the theme that clear communications are essential, the design is used to communicate important messages and details on the latest websites. Large fonts immediately catch the attention, and they can be utilized on web pages along with other design elements, and with full-screen videos and images. It is essential to balance this style to ensure it’s not too much or too much.
Increased Use of Motion Design
You’ve probably heard that it is a constant discussion of changing your content to ensure that it is able to appeal to a broad spectrum of different types of consumers. Some people are avid readers, while others prefer watching videos. Motion design is a different method of displaying information. This means that GIF-animations’ value goes beyond using them for humorous memes. If you have an intricate item or product that could be summarized in five seconds of GIF-based animation, then it could be worth a try using them in 2020. (Tip Be sure that your hosting provider does not slow down page performance when it comes to delivering graphic-heavy design and interactivity features.)
Overlapping Layers
While you need to be mindful of the guidelines for a minimalistic design and white space we’ve discussed previously, layering design elements on web pages is also a popular trend. If you have the right strategy, it can give depth to your users’ screens regardless of whether you’re using an interactive parallax-styled website, lightboxes, or multiple images. It is essential to stay clear of doing too much, so adhere to your hierarchy of content when you use this method.