Each yr, many writers discover the net design pattern predictions for the yr forward. It’s thrilling to think about what the upcoming yr will convey to the net design trade. Like most issues, tendencies are very onerous to foretell. We are able to typically solely go off the tendencies of the earlier yr and take a look at how they're progressing.
2016 Internet Design Development Forecasts
- Awwwards: 6 Web Design Trends You Must Know for 2015 & 2016
- Forbes: 9 Web Design Trends To Watch In 2016
- Elegant Themes: A Forecast of 2016 Web Design Trends
- The Subsequent Internet: 10 Web design trends you can expect to see in 2016
- Hongkiat: 20 Hottest Trends That Will Shape Web Design Come 2016
We are able to additionally look inside extra outstanding designers’ works, since they've a substantial affect of the kinds of different designers as they appear to others for inspiration.
Whereas these net design predictions are thrilling and seemingly correct, how lots of the predicted tendencies truly come to fruition? We're going to take a look at some tendencies forecasted at first of 2016, and take a look at what number of of them have been appropriate, and whether or not they have caught round or come and gone in a rush.
Break up content material
Actually not one of many extra outrageous tendencies we've got seen, cut up content material design is a visible method which separates content material into two separate columns – one typically scrolling whereas the opposite stays fastened. The pattern, predicted by TemplateMonster, was definitely correct as we noticed quite a lot of these designs significantly within the first half of 2016. Since then, the pattern has misplaced a few of its prominence, with a basic reversion again to single column web site designs.
Verdict: nonetheless alive, however fading rapidly because the deserves of single column designs are re-emphasized
Hamburger menu
This was definitely a sizzling matter again in 2015 and into 2016, and was lined by outstanding websites together with Awwwards. Whereas hamburger menus have risen to prominence in cellular apps and cellular web site designs, the pattern that basically gained traction into 2016 was utilising this similar design on desktop. The prediction was most definitely correct, however the pattern itself was deeply flawed when it comes to person expertise for a variety of causes. Initially, hamburger icons are nonetheless a comparatively new idea and, as such, aren't recognised by the plenty. Secondly, the hiding of major navigation gadgets can trick the person into pondering they don't exist. Lastly, requiring two click on to alter web page every time is a particular inconvenience to any web site person.
Since 2016, designers have develop into sensible to the downfalls of such an method, primarily now choosing a extra conventional navigation system.
Verdict: nonetheless current, significantly in portfolio websites, however the UX downfalls have been broadly publicized
Lengthy-scroll
Keep in mind these long-scroll web sites which seemingly had been by no means ending? Early adopters included DuckDuckGo, Fb, and Pinterest, having explored the advantages to person expertise and content material discovery. As forecasted by UXPin, they too additionally turned a preferred pattern via 2016, significantly in tandem with scroll animations and parallax parts.
As with the hamburger menu, the UX was analysed to not be so efficient, and we now see outstanding touchdown pages choosing a extra refined and compact method as they realise most customers will neglect to scroll down a lot previous the primary few thousand pixels of an internet site. The pattern, nevertheless, remains to be very a lot alive and we proceed to see examples of such within the newest weblog and advertising and marketing web site designs.
Verdict: nonetheless outstanding, significantly in information/weblog and touchdown web page web sites
Card-based layouts
The idea of card-based layouts got here to prominence in 2015 as Google’s Materials tips started to be carried out by a big sector of cellular designers. Since then the idea has additionally made its method into the net design trade. Designmodo predicted this pattern to proceed to be carried out throughout the trade and it was completely appropriate. All year long we noticed an increasing number of inventive implementations of card-based layouts, each for visible affect and enhanced person expertise.
The pattern may be very a lot nonetheless in use into 2017 with websites akin to The Subsequent Internet, Pinterest, and Google implementing the design path. It has develop into a viable choice for consideration in lots of new net design and net interface initiatives.
Verdict: nonetheless outstanding because the design pattern has many deserves when it comes to person expertise and readability, significantly for information web sites
Animations
Touched upon barely earlier, animations at the moment are extra outstanding than ever. Nevertheless, tendencies again in 2016 predicted less subtle animations than we see at the moment. The pattern has definitely shifted from very apparent animations akin to in backgrounds, scrolling, and web page transitions. We now see many extra examples of micro-interactions and delicate animations within the type of hover results, icons, and smaller UI parts, as designers realise a extra conservative method to animation could be simpler for the top person.
Verdict: nonetheless common however not seen as typically as designers and animators deal with micro-interactions and extra delicate animations which improve the person expertise
Skinny typography
Gentle typography was appropriately predicted by Marvellous to proceed in 2016. The pattern got here as a product of the minimalist design pattern, as designers sought an increasing number of refined and clean-looking designs. The font weights turned lighter and thinner on a regular basis, nevertheless the readability typically got here as a value for this explicit design selection.
The pattern remains to be going sturdy however early indicators are signifying a shift again towards heavy font weights, since Apple’s introduction of such a method within the iOS 10 Music app.
Verdict: nonetheless outstanding, significantly with minimal web sites, although we're beginning to see extra emphatic typography basically web site designs
Full-screen types
Forecasted by Econsultancy and initially devised by Typeform, full-screen types gained actually strong traction via 2015 and the tendencies appropriately predicted it to proceed. The pattern is one whereby types are carried out in a big scale design and supply a dynamic person expertise. Full display types are nonetheless vastly common and their progress doesn’t appear to be displaying any indicators of slowing.
Verdict: nonetheless very outstanding, particularly on websites with surveys or the place the types are lengthy with many fields
Offset Fill & Round Iconography
Iconography is likely one of the most fast-paced and fast-moving parts inside net design. The tendencies predicted to proceed again in 2016 by Canva had been particularly icons with offset backgrounds, and round flat icons impressed by Google’s Materials design.
Each tendencies did not maintain the recognition seen all through the earlier yr or two, and neither at the moment are seen too typically within the newest web site designs.
Verdict: each have pale, with round iconography significantly unpopular in 2017
Does it matter?
Total, net design predictions have been surprisingly correct in 2016, and among the tendencies are nonetheless outstanding effectively into 2017. Wanting again on the predictions for not for much longer than a yr in the past, present simply how rapidly the net design trade modifications, and the way necessary it's to remain proactive when it comes to preserve your designs present.
