7 web design principles that are crucial to know for 2020

If the last months of 2019 were anything to go by, 2020 is going to shake up the web design scene and show us that there are still things out there that can surprise us. A number of trends are making a comeback, and some changes demonstrate the influence of technology, even on areas that seem to be safe from it.

So, what is going to be significant in the world of web design over 2020? Let’s take a look!

1. Asymmetry

Web Design
Shutterstock

For the longest time, the majority of websites irrespectively of type, topic, and other design choices have been striving to be grid-based, carefully arranged structures. No matter what colors they used, where they introduced video and animation, which additional effects they applied, the general layout remained the same: square-based and similar-looking. This year is likely to demonstrate a bold move toward individuality and dynamism, symbolized by the rapidly growing use of asymmetric designs. It is mainly expected in case of personal websites and resources promoting innovative startups, as asymmetric, broken-grid structures are incredibly useful in expressing uniqueness, courage, and readiness to go against the grain.

However, just like with any other design trend, it is important to avoid overdoing things. If a website is too ready to embrace asymmetric design, it is easy to fall into the trap of intensifying this approach to the point when it becomes uniqueness for the sake of uniqueness, without any concern for the visitor’s convenience. Ironic as it may be, the foundation of asymmetric design lies in planning and balance: Do not oversaturate any area of the page, make sure your bid for originality does not ruin navigation, do not annoy your users.

2. Adaptive design

It seems that by 2020, website owners had enough time to understand that adaptive design is a must, but you will be amazed to see how many resources still neglect to adopt this principle. This trend has been going strong for a while now, and in the next year, it is going to enhance further its importance. Whatever else you do with your website, you have to make sure it is equally readable and appealing no matter what device you view it on and what part of a screen it occupies. Here are the main factors to consider:

  • Mobile-first: Most Internet surfing these days is done via smartphones and other mobile devices, and you have to optimize your website for them;
  • Browser windows: People often view multiple websites using individual browser windows of custom sizes. Not just the amount of content, but entire elements of a web page may disappear from view as window size changes, and you have to consider it in your web design.
  • Get a pro: Hire professional web developers with a good reputation if you want to avoid problems with meeting the requirements of adaptive design later on.

3. Simple design, bright colors, large text

The combination of bright, oversaturated colors, minimalistic design, and huge text is an excellent way to emphasize the innovative, courageous, even eccentric nature of your brand. By choosing a few bold colors and consistently using them throughout your design, you create an immediately recognizable combination that will stay in memories of those who see it for a long time. Brilliantly colored, mostly empty pages with just a few sentences (or even words) of carefully chosen text will ensure that the content you present gets read and stays with those who read it. When combined with in-plane switching technology used in many modern devices, this allows for some really tasty imagery.

4. Push notifications

web design

Push notifications have been around for a while, but 2020 is likely to show whether they are here to stay or if consumers are too annoyed with them. Most people do not like it when a notification appears in the corner of the screen as they use a website or watch a video, which is why so many of them opt to disable them altogether. That is why it is so important to make the benefit of having them enabled immediately obvious. Sell them as a means of getting to know valuable information, not as a means of pestering your visitors. Consider what your target audience is and what its needs are. How can you persuade them to keep receiving notifications from you? Try to find a balance between the subject and frequency of notifications to show that they are here to help visitors, not to annoy them.

5. AI and machine learning

Although its full implementation is still some ways off, the application of AI and machine learning to web design can lead to some paradigm-changing consequences. For one, it has the potential to make a traditional homepage a thing of the past. A promising UX trend aims to use browser history, location and other personal characteristics of users to send them to landing pages individually tailored to their needs and interests instead of offering the same homepage to everyone. Although automation is by no means an innovation in web design, this promises to be the next big step to complete personalization: Instead of slightly modifying the experience for a user, it will offer an experience that is built from scratch for each particular visitor.

6. Motion design

It seems that with every passing year, humanity gets more and more impatient in all aspects of its activity, including information gathering. When we want to find out something, we want to do it as fast as possible, even if, objectively speaking, we are in no hurry. Here is where motion design comes into the picture. A gif is much faster to load than a video, but you still can cram an enormous amount of information into it (and let’s not forget that it has all the potential to look awesome). While visitors may be put off by the idea to scan a page full of text to find the info they look for, getting the same information from an animated gif is much more palatable.

Web design trends in 2020: Know them, follow them

Of course, these are far from being the only web design trends that are likely to be important in 2020, but we believe them to be among the most important ones. Pursue them, and you will not be mistaken.

Featured image: Shutterstock

About The Author

2 thoughts on “7 web design principles that are crucial to know for 2020”

  1. Wow, it’s amazing to know that machine learning can also be incorporated in web design. Digital marketing is very important nowadays since most business will not survive without some form of digital presence. I can see how professional web design services would help me a lot when I start my own business.

    https://carlicreates.com/web-design

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Scroll to Top