Two of our favorite plugins are WP All Import and Rank Math. They're widely used on WordPress websites. Both make […]
I'm the owner and founder of PIT Designs. I love creating digital presence and creative digital solutions for our clients.
Posted
4 years ago on August 9th, 2016. Last modified on September 27th, 2019
Related To:
Tags: News
Related Posts
Cinemagraphs in web design
If you read any of the countless web design trend reports that came out earlier this year, you likely read […]
4 modern background tricks to try out
It seems that, as a constituent of a design, backgrounds live in the shadows; however, that’s not entirely true. In […]
Email finally wakes up to responsive design
Email is far older than the web; introduced in 1972, anyone who’s ever tried designing for email can be forgiven […]
50+ fresh resources for designers, July 2016
Hey there! We are proud to return fully stacked with a collection of resources and tools that will make the […]
Once upon a time, the web was full of crazy ideas. And no, I’m talking about the wide array of conspiracy theorists and the like (they’re still everywhere, watching as you read this). The subject I’m actually referring to is design.
Back in the day, the web was a bit more of an experimental playground for both professional and aspiring designers. You saw it in the use of different navigation styles, color schemes and typography. It also led to sometimes outlandish layouts, use of multimedia and graphics.
The results weren’t always pretty (or even professional), but you can’t say that designers weren’t trying to make the most out of the medium.
Table of Contents
Do the evolution
These days, the web isn’t so much of a playground. It’s grown up, put on a sensible business suit and tends to lean more towards quiet consistency than bombast. The old Wild West, it seems, has developed into a sprawling suburb. You can practically smell the Starbucks from here.
The old Wild West, it seems, has developed into a sprawling suburb. You can practically smell the Starbucks from here
While it may sound like I’m a little nostalgic, I actually like the way things have evolved, for the most part. As designers, we’ve learned from the mistakes of the past and have done a much better job at following standard practices. We’re doing more to ensure usability and accessibility. They are all wonderful byproducts of a more mature industry. We’ve never had it so good.
What’s changed the most, of course, is the array of tools we have at our disposal. They help us publish content more easily and design modern, functional websites in a fraction of the time. The tools have changed how we work. So, it would seem that they have also changed the way we design a website. The question is: how has that affected our creativity?
Rapid development
A lot of designers these days use frameworks in the design and development of projects. Whether it’s a front-end framework like Bootstrap or Foundation, a theme framework like Divi (or the whole WordPress commercial theme industry, for that matter)—there are great reasons to use these tools.
When used properly, they take some of the pain away from the design and development process. With pre-made layouts and UI elements built-in, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. That can both save designers time and save clients money.
The race for efficiency
Sometimes, though, maybe we lean on tools a little too much. For example, I tend to use FontAwesome on just about every new project. I think it adds a nice aesthetic, along with helping draw a user’s attention to specific items my clients want to promote. And, while I don’t use any front-end frameworks at the moment, I can certainly see why you’d want to. You can use them again and again to create an attractive site.
If you’ve got a busy career…then you’re all about doing quality work as efficiently as possible
There’s the rub. We tend to use these items over and over because that’s what they were designed for. If you’ve got a busy career and are working on multiple projects simultaneously, then you’re all about doing quality work as efficiently as possible.
We’re busy and on a tight schedule to get things done. Therefore, it’s easy to fall into the trap of repeatedly using ready-made elements the same way every time. Maybe we change a color or add a border, but it’s essentially the same element used in the same way.
It’s certainly not a crime or a sin. But, in a way, it sort of takes the fun out of the design process. Some might think it’s a bit of a bummer. Others may look at it as the industry maturing to the point where mass-production simply leads to a little less variation in style.
In some ways, you could compare it to the auto industry. Honda makes a whole lot of Accords, but they are all essentially built on the same chassis. They only come in a certain few colors and have a limited number of options. Well, web design certainly hasn’t become that regimented… but you get the point.
Does originality still matter?
Make no mistake, there are designers out there creating some original (and beautiful) work. And there always will be those who forge their own unique style on the web.
But as we look more at the mainstream, things can feel a little ho-hum on that front. Perhaps that is to be expected, seeing as how the web has become such a necessity in our daily lives. After all, most designers and clients don’t have much incentive to break the mold. There’s too much at stake to take what may be seen as an unnecessary design risk.
The job of a website these days is to simply look good and simply work as expected
In that way, maybe it’s not as cool to make something original as it used to be. As mentioned earlier, we’re now at a point where user experience is such an important part of a designer’s job. Thus, the job of a website these days is to simply look good and simply work as expected.
If all that means a more homogenized web, then maybe it’s not such a bad thing.
You can’t go back
While I miss that feeling of stepping into uncharted territory from the web of the past, I also understand that it just doesn’t mesh with the realities of today. So, maybe we can’t go full-on crazy with our designs anymore. So what? On the bright side that means we may not cringe at our past work five or ten years from now.
Still, I’m going to challenge myself to see how many smaller, less drastic elements of originality I can put (or sneak) into my work. While I’m sure that they won’t all make the cut into the final product, maybe a few go in unnoticed.
The city of Austin, Texas has a famous slogan of “Keep Austin Weird”. Maybe we can do a little bit of the same for the web, just to keep a small piece of the legacy alive.
Source: Web Design News
Do we all agree that Coffee is the fuel that feeds the free content creating?
6 Ultimate Content Marketing Writing Techniques to Boost Audience Rate
Are you seeking the best ways to improve your content creation? Are you excited to master your marketing development strategy? […]
How to Choose Professional Fonts for Web Design
Fortunately, the days when fonts and colors were chosen at random have long passed. Now each element of the site […]
How to Write Design Brief for Web Design Projects
Got a big web design project coming up? Then you'll need a great design brief for web design, to carry […]
Adobe CC Updates Focused on Collaboration & Remote Work
Adobe's June updates to its Creative Cloud suite comes with changes directly aimed at making collaboration and remote-work better and […]
6 Ways Erbil International Hotel Complies with COVID-19 Safety
Erbil International Hotel, have activated the "Health and Safety program" which ensures customers, from the moment they enter the property until leaving.
Starting Online Business in Iraq
As part of our business launching & partnership programs. We help you kick start your project online, and start making […]
My relatives always say that I amm kioling my time here at web, however I know I am getting
familiarity all the time by reading thes good posts.
The internet is an amazing tool when used effectively.
Keep checking our blog for new posts.
I seriously love your website.. Pleasant clors & theme.
Didd yyou make this website yourself? Please reply back as I'm hoping to create my own personal blog
and want to find out where you got his from or just what the theme is called.
Appreciate it!
Thank you and Yes we designed this website ourselves, just like any other found in our portfolio >> https://pitdesigns.com/en/portfolio/websites-portfolio/
If you need help let's know 🙂
Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your
site? My website is in the exact same area off interest as
yours and my users would really benbefit from a lot of the
information yoou present here. Please let me know if this alright with you.
Regards!
We don't mind as long as credits link back.
What's your website?
What's up colleagues, fastidious article and nicee
aruments commented at this place, I am truly enjoying by these.
Your style is unique iin comparison to other peopple I've read stuff from.
Thanks for posting whdn you've got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark
this page.
Hello, Neat post. There is an issue together with your site
in internet explorer, may test this?IE still is the
market leader and a huge portion of folks will omit your
wonderful writing because of this problem.
Thanks Lorenzo.. what's the issue you're facing?
We don't really focus on IE too much, and it's not the market leader. By any stats Chrome leads with at least 55% +
Appreciate thhe recommendation. Will try it out.
You really make it seem really easy with your presentation but I in finding this
topic tto be actually one thinng that I believe I would never
understand. It seems too complicated and extremely widde for me.
I am having a look ahead on your next post, I will
attempt too get the hang of it!
Hi, for all time i used to check blog polsts here in the early hours in the morning, as i
enjoy to gain knowledge of more and more.
This excellent website truly has all of thhe information and facts I needed about this subject and didn't know whho tto ask.
Ahaa, its nice dialogue concerning thijs paragraph at this place
at thius weblog, I ave read all that, so at this tiime mme also commenting at this place.
Thanks for every other great post. The place else may just anybody get that type of information in such a perfect
method of writing? I've a presentation subsequnt week, aand I'm aat the look for such information.
Thanks for another informative blog. The place else could
I get that kind of info written in such an ideal
means?I have a project that I'm simply now running on, and I
have been on the lance out for such info.
Spot on with this write-up, I honestly believe that this website needs a lot
more attention. I'll probably be back again to see
more, thanks for the info!
Hurrah, that's what I wwas searching for, what a material!
existing here at this webpage, thanks admin of this webb site.
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did yoou create this website yourself or did you hire someone tto do itt for you?
Plz answer back as I'm looking to dewign my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from.
appreciate it
We're a professional web design agency.. of course we design our own and our clients' websites!
This information iis invaluable. How can I find out more?
What's up everyone, it's my first pay a visit at this site, and article is
actually fruitful designed for me, keep up posting these types of content.
I loved as much as you'll receive carried oout right here.
The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish.
Thank for finally writing about >Does startup efficiency kill design originality?
- PIT Designjs <Liked it!
It's an awesome article ffor all the web people;
they will take benefit from it I am sure.
Somebody essentially help to make seriously articles
I'd state. Thaat iis the very first time I frequentedd your web
page and up to now? I amazed with thhe research youu made
to make this particular post extraordinary.
Magnificent activity!
Right here is the perfect site for everyone who wishes to understand this topic.
You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would
wamt to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a topic
that's been discussed for years. Wonderful stuff, just great!
Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up
aand the rest of the site is extremely good.
Hello, yeah this articoe is truly nice and I have learned lot
of thngs from it concerning blogging. thanks.
Great article, exactly what I was looking for.
bookmarked!!, I really like your site!
I am really delighted to glanmce at this blog posts which contains tons of helpful facts, thanks for providing such information.
Hi there tto every body, it's my first go to
see of his website; this websiite contains awesome and genuinely fine
data deswigned for readers.
I juyst couldn't depart your site before suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the usual information a prrson provide in yojr guests?
Is gonna be again steadily inn order to inspect new posts
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long
ass I provide credit and sources back too your weblog?
My blog is in the very same niche as yours and my users
would definitely benefit from some of the
information you prfovide here. Please let me know if this okay with
you. Thanks!
Hi Jeanne,
As long as you credit the information, feel free to go ahead.