Design trends, like all trends, are constantly changing. Websites with rounded edges and drop shadows used to be the cat’s pajamas, but now they just look like a cat designed it. Sometimes it’s hard to know when a trend comes and when it finally leaves. Whether we like it or not, a website needs to be updated with a fresh design every year.
2016 is still young and it promises to bring new trends, this is certain. We looked at the landscape and came up with four trends that will undoubtedly make an impression this year.
Responsive- A responsive design allows a site to be properly viewed on any device or screen size without constantly zooming in and out. This started last year and gained tons of traction. In 2016, responsive design will become so pervasive that it might (hopefully will) become a standard for all websites.
Vanishing menu– What started with the hamburger menu will be expanded into a full menu of hidden menus (see what we did there). This is most likely be slow process as user need to adjust to finding menus that aren’t always in full view. However, once users know where to look, hidden menus will take the world wide web by storm. By tucking the menu neatly away, the users can focus on what matters, the content.
Modules– Like a NASA space station, websites are becoming very modular. Designers have started using short blocks of text and high res images like building blocks on a grid. This minimalists approach removes unnecessary distractions and focuses the eyes on the highlights of the site. When done right, a modular site will keep the user guessing every time they scroll, which keeps them continuously engaged.
Video– We’ve all seen the sites with the edge to edge picture on the homepage. This trend started last year and the next logical step will be a captivating edge to edge video loop on the homepage. Videos won’t stop at homepage, they’ll continue through sites replacing bulky text, because users want to watch not read. Click here for an example.
There are bound to be more trends that no one sees coming, and we’ll all just have to watch out for whatever is around the corner.
