In 2010 we are seeing the continued mainstreaming of everyday goods and services onto the internet. As everything becomes virtual, the internet becomes the first port of call when a person needs a new good or requires a new service. More and more people, from all walks of life, are becoming familiar with the internet.

Particularly in the last year, as smart-phones introduce the concept of web-services to people who would not normally have exposure to an internet connected computer. This changes typical user expectations and influences how clients want to market on the web. Websites need to be even clearer, better structured and more eye-catching. So there are a couple of factors influencing change in modern web design. Web consumption habits are evolving and new technologies emerging.

We are seeing JavaScript pushing out its boundaries, new design philosophies like grid systems becoming commonplace, bigger bolder headings and banners and more and more iconification of websites.

JavaScript – Light boxes, carousel, tabs and more!

JavaScript is going strong in 2010 and in fact we’re seeing plenty of innovative use of this great client side language.

Design style can be practical. Take for example the modal box, otherwise known as a light box. This is a very smart way to bring up additional information and imagery about a specific item. It doesn’t take the user away from the page, nor does it pop up another page. It presents the additional information until the user closes it, bringing the user straight back to where they were. We’re going to be seeing a lot more of these.

Tooltips are now fully customizable, where the designer can edit the font and colors as well as the border and even add a title. The designer can add in imagery too!

Presenting many options to a user can make a design cluttered. Sophisticated carousels are becoming a common solution to this problem. They’re not just being used for text or pictures; we’re now seeing video being incorporated too.

Accordions too are now commonplace and fully customizable. This is another way presenting multiple menus to the user without cluttering your website.

Tabs too are used prolifically throughout the web, and this trend will continue in 2010, with many new JavaScript versions becoming available everyday.

Grid based websites

When a designer wants a well structured design they need all help they can get. And grids are an easy, convenient aid. The use of grids is becoming commonplace for informative websites and the structure it lends a website is becoming expected by users. Grid systems are utilised in design to strengthen the layout and make it easier to create great websites. With lots of templates out there that can be download, grid website designs will be much more apparent and will make websites much more efficient and effective for showcasing products, portfolios or people.

Smart-phone Website Design

Significantly for web-designers is the ever increasing use of smart cell-phones for web browsing. Sure Apple iPhone users use apps for a lot of their functionality, but they are still browsing the web on that little screen. Designing for these new phones presents designers with fresh challenges in 2010. While some smart-phones cope well with original website navigation, most struggle and clients are demanding the dual website design; one for computer browsing and one for smart-phones. We will see increasing use of smart-phones and corresponding web design in 2010. As touchscreens and zooming controls become common place we may see a reversal of this trend, where the dual website unifies into one site suitable for both types of browser.

Out of the Box Design

Websites that look different get noticed, and so the out of the box designs are continuing to be used. Ribbons that break out of the grid, creating a depth to website are being used more and more often. Integrated imagery is being used more. Also watercolor splashes used in backgrounds or navigation’s add texture to the page. Anything to make that vital differentiation. We’ll see more use of textured  backgrounds too.

Another trend developing in 2010 is typography based websites. HTML 5 has the capability to serve a lacking font to a client, so websites can take advantage of the full range of fonts that exist. And they can do this while keeping the website as light as a feather. Combined with grid systems, typography websites are the avant-garde of web design in 2010.

Bigger Headers, Introductions and Images

People now want to read less and see more. Users expect concepts to be served up to them in easy to understand imagery.

Websites are becoming more dedicated to specific topics. Headers are getting larger. Introductions are more succinct and in a larger font.

As screens are getting bigger, designers are taking advantage of this by having wider banners and titles and incorporating much larger imagery. With the increase in average bandwidth, high quality imagery is becoming commonplace. This will continue into 2010. Clients will want more showcase websites with heavier pages.

Icons, Icons, Icons

As users expect websites to present actions more clearly, icons are being used in ever increasing numbers. Luckily these days a huge range of premium icons is available and very low prices. Icons are being used more and more not just for navigation or actions, but also as simple visual cues to help convey the meaning of paragraphs or website sections. This is very much the case in service or product based websites that want to make it as easy as possible for users.

Conclusion

The trends continue with higher bandwidth and bigger screen resolutions. High definition streamed video can now play a role is showcasing products. Or it can even be the product. National television broadcasters are embracing the web and publishing websites designed to deliver high bandwidth streamed products. Remote leaning, remote business, remote everything is ramping up. Whatever the application, it’s always going to fall to the designer to use the latest technology and make it it aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly.