What is WEB design

The world’s first website, published in 1991, was a few paragraphs of text on a uniform background with a command line instead of links.

Since then websites have come a long way. There are now more than a billion web resources on the Internet, each consisting of a multitude of visual elements. The process of creating the look and feel of websites has become a whole science, which includes not only designing the graphical shell, but also thinking through the navigation, organizing textual content and analyzing user behavior. This science is called web design.

In this article we explain in detail what web design is: its basic principles, differences from web development, basic elements, popular options for arranging elements on the page, and much more. The guide will be suitable for those who are going to create a site on their own, as well as those who just want a better understanding of web design.

What is web design?

Web design is the planning and creation of content so that a site is beautiful, functional, and user-friendly. To achieve each of these goals, web designers use a wide range of tools.

  • To make a website beautiful, web designers select the right color scheme, choose the right fonts, add photos, images and animation elements to the site, and add special effects like parallax.
  • To make the site functional, web designers carefully think through the structure of pages, develop navigation, fill sections with informative and relevant content and add additional elements: for example, surveys, subscription forms, widgets with social networks, interactive maps, and more.
  • To make the site user-friendly, web designers analyze user behavior. This helps to make the interaction with the site intuitive and avoid confusion. For example, one of the basic rules of web design is to place the most important information at the top of the screen so that the user does not have to scroll down the page.

A specific set of tools used in the creation of a particular page depends directly on the ultimate goal of the site. For example:

  • A portfolio site showcases work and attracts clients or employers.
  • An online games, clothing or electronics store sells merchandise.
  • A business site builds a loyal customer base around a brand.
  • A blog shares information and raises your profile in the industry.
  • A restaurant website takes orders
  • Website services reservations and payments.

In this guide, we will touch on the most important information about web design. Specifically:

  • What is the difference between web design and web development
  • Principles of web design
  • Page layout
  • Functional components of web design
  • Visual elements of web design
  • Maintenance
  • Sources of inspiration for beginners in web design

What’s the difference between web design and web development

Web design and web development are often confused with each other. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences between the two disciplines.

Web design is the process of creating the visual shell of a website, its structure and navigation system in the form of a layout. We will elaborate on this in the following paragraphs.

Web development is bringing a web designer’s layout to life using software code. Web developers are responsible for making sure that all elements of the site actually work: pages opened, links clicked, and images, widgets, and special effects functioned correctly.

If you compare a website to a car, web designers think about the look and feel of the car, driving comfort, ergonomic seats and fail-safe safety systems. And web designers think about making sure the car really drives: starts up, accelerates to the speeds you want, and brakes exactly when you want it to.

Web developers often use the following tools:

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the programming language used to create the markup of websites. It is HTML that allows websites to be viewed in browsers like Google Chrome and Safari.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is an auxiliary programming language that is used to define the appearance of a page. Unlike HTML, which is mainly responsible for page structure, CSS allows you to change the color of text, increase margins and add animation – in short, it makes the website more aesthetic and pleasing to the reader.

CMS (Content management system) is a content management system for a website. That is, a platform on which you can create a site even without knowledge of programming.

The principles of web design

What’s the difference between good design and bad design? Good design is based on basic principles that have evolved over 30 years of web creation. Of course, an experienced designer can create a good product without these rules – but if you’re just learning web design, following basic web design principles will help avoid common mistakes.

Basic Web Design Principles:

  • Balance. Visual balance means that none of the elements within any composition will overshadow the others. To achieve this, draw an imaginary line down the middle of the screen and make sure that the elements on the right and left sides look equal.
    There are two ways to achieve balance in web design:
    • Symmetrical balance is to mirror elements on a page where the right and left sides are nearly identical. Pages with symmetrical balance can evoke a sense of reliability, harmony, and beauty in the user.
    • Asymmetric balance is a situation where the elements on the right and side of the site are different, but converge on the overall visual weight (for example, one large graphic element on one side, and several small ones on the other). This balance is considered more dynamic and is willingly used in modern web design.
  • Contrast. Contrast is the arrangement of elements in such a way as to emphasize their differences and make them stand out from one another. For example, dark and light, light and heavy, large and small. With contrast, web design is more interesting and engaging, and therefore more likely to keep users’ attention on the page.
  • Accent. Not all elements on the site have to be equally important. Some should catch the eye from the first second on the site: a company logo, a call to action or a button. By highlighting an important element, you will not only draw the user’s attention to it, but also make the entire composition of the site more dynamic.
  • Motion. By changing the size and order of elements on the page, you can control the direction in which the reader’s eye moves. This means you can draw the reader’s attention to the most relevant parts of the site.
  • Rhythm. Elements on the page should “rhyme” with each other – that is, have similar characteristics like brand colors and branded fonts. This will help reinforce brand identity and increase online presence.
  • Hierarchy. One of the biggest mistakes in web design is placing important information at the bottom of the page. Thus, it will notice only those users who have not left the site in the first minute and decided to scroll down – and these people will be few. So remember the simple rule: the more important information, the higher on the site it should be placed.
  • “Air”. “Air” or negative space is the areas of the site that are free of any visual elements. That is, the indents, the spaces between sections, the background and so on. A large amount of “air” is necessary for any site – negative space unloads the site and makes it easier to perceive.
  • Consistency. Consistency in web design is achieved when the other basic principles are respected and in harmony. When the elements of the site are balanced, properly located, contrasting with each other and surrounded by enough “air”, the visitor is more likely to linger on the site and take the action you want.

The markup of the site

Markup – this is practically the foundation of the site: in fact, it determines the location and sequence of visual elements on each page. Properly planned markup helps to create a beautiful and comfortable site, as well as prompting the user to a specific action.

There is no universal solution for good markup – its choice depends on the type of content, the goals of the site and the message being broadcast. But here are two basic directions in which to move:

  • Be guided by the content. For example, if you create markup for an online store, it should emphasize the demonstration of images. In turn, the markup for the blog will require symmetrical and neat blocks with lots of space for textual content.
  • Reflect on general trends. Classic markups are present on millions of sites – and therefore more familiar and intuitive to users.

Functional components of web design

Web design also affects the functional part of the site – speed, usability, navigation elements and other components. Let’s dwell on each in more detail.

Navigation

Websites often consist of several pages – large portals can have several dozen of them. High-quality navigation links these pages together and helps users get where they need to go.

Therefore, the navigation menu – one of the most important elements of the site. In fact, it is a map of the site, and helps not to get lost, even on a very large Internet resource.

Depending on the design of the site, you can use one of the popular types of menus:

  • Classic Menu. The most common version, which is located at the top of the site and is a horizontal sheet of links.
  • Floating menu. A menu that is fixed to a specific part of the screen, and stays in the user’s field of view even when he scrolls down the site.
  • Hamburger. An icon consisting of three horizontal lines (which is a well-established menu symbol). When the icon is clicked, it expands into a full menu. Usually located in the upper left or right corner of the site.
  • Drop-down menu. A menu with additional parts that are only displayed when the user clicks or points to a specific place in the main part.
  • Side Menu. A menu that sits at the edges on the left or right side of the screen.

Speed

No one likes slow sites. According to a study, sites that load for more than 3 seconds increase their bounce rate by 38%. It doesn’t matter how pretty a page looks – if it doesn’t display correctly and makes the user wait, they’re very likely to close it after a few seconds.

Many factors can affect the performance of a site, from the number of elements on the page to third-party applications. We’ve written an in-depth guide on how to speed up your site.

SEO

SEO is optimizing in a way that gets it to the top of search engine queries. Since SEO directly affects the effectiveness of a website, it can also be considered a functional element of web design.

To optimize SEO, add headlines, alt-text to images, use meta tags and choose a domain name that best represents your brand and business.

UX

UX (user experience) is a web design discipline that studies the logic of what users do to ensure they have the most comfortable interaction with the site.

UX designers help make sure that the site has a positive impact on the customer experience. To do this, pages must meet the following characteristics:

  • Usability;
  • Ease of use;
  • Ease of searching;
  • Trustworthiness;
  • Desirability;
  • Accessibility;
  • Value.

Adaptive design and responsive design

Nowadays, more than half of website traffic is on mobile devices. Which means making sure a site displays correctly on smartphone and tablet screens is essential to its success.

Two approaches are used to translate a site from desktop to mobile: adaptive design and responsive design.

Adaptive design involves creating multiple versions of the site: for example, for different screen sizes or browsers.

Responsive design means creating one “flexible” version of the site that changes depending on screen size or even the position of your smartphone in space.

Visual elements of web design

If functional components ensure the performance of the site and comfortable work with it, the visual elements are responsible for aesthetics and attractiveness. Just as beautiful packaging helps to better sell a product, so beautiful design will help to attract the attention of visitors and encourage them to stay on the page longer.

Here are the main visual elements to be aware of:

  • Header – Located at the very top of the page above the content portion. It almost always includes the name of the business, the header, the logo and the top menu, which makes it easier for users to navigate the site.
  • The footer is the lowest part of the site. It usually contains a menu with links to all important pages, as well as address, cell phone number and other contact information. There are also links to social networks in the footer.

Color Palette

The right colors not only set the tone for the site, but also help cement your brand’s online presence.

When choosing a color palette, determine the dominant (the one you’ll use most often), the secondary (which will complement the dominant), and the accent colors (which will highlight important details).

Typography

Typography refers to fonts, as well as exactly how the text will be located on the site. Good typography complements the overall aesthetics of the site and reinforces the message of the text.

Just like colors, fonts can say a lot about your brand. Choose ones that fit the overall style of the site. Classic serif fonts usually represent reliability and conservatism, while softer, rounded fonts represent innovation and creativity.

Site background

Static or animated, uniform or textured – the site background is also an important visual element. After all, users see it continuously as they browse the site.

The background can be a brand color, an image or even a video – the important thing is that the site looks solid and the text is easy to read. You can add a special effect like parallax to it – so the site becomes even more dynamic.

Images

Images make a site colorful and enjoyable to look at. Pictures of products, photos from events, favicon, and illustrations all help you keep the user’s attention.

Site Maintenance

Web design is constantly changing – and your site should evolve with it. Outdated elements can discourage users, and with it, reduce traffic and sales.

Keep up with the latest web design trends, edit and add content, continue to optimize SEO, and check from time to time how fast the pages are loading.