If you are of the generation that grew up with the internet, you can probably remember the early days of web surfing - and how designed has changed with time. There has been significant progress since the launch of the first website in 1991! Fast forward to 2022, there are over one billion live websites on the internet today. So read on to find out more about what Web Design is and how it’s different to Web Development
What is the definition of web design?
Web design is a combination of aesthetic and functional components that influences how a website looks, including colours, fonts, and graphics, as well as how the site's structure and users interact with it. Web design is the process of planning and arranging content on a website so that it can go live to the world wide web.
Building a website is now one of the most important aspects of establishing an internet presence. As a result, the world of web design is very competitive and innovative. Trends are moving quickly and the world has moved from web-presence only, to including mobile apps, VR experiences and more.
What is the difference between web design and web development?
Because the two are closely connected and sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably, the first step in our web design journey is to define the distinction between web design and website development.
The visual design and user experience features of a website are referred to as web design. Throughout the rest of this article, we'll go through web design in greater depth.
Website development is the process of creating and maintaining a website's structure, which includes complex coding systems that ensure the website's functionality.
The following are the most common software languages used by web developers to create websites:
HTML, or HyperText Markup Language, is a coding language for building websites' front ends.
Cascading Style Sheets, or CSS, is a programming design language that contains all necessary information about a webpage's layout. CSS is used in conjunction with HTML to create a website's or page's style and formatting
A Content Management System, or CMS, is a computer software application that manages a website's digital content. Editor X is an example of a content management system (CMS), which is a user-friendly method for developing website content.
Design principles applied to websites
Knowing what good web design is—and how to achieve it—is one of the first steps in understanding what web design is.
Towards a starting point, we can look at the principles of design, a theory used by artists and designers to define the visual attributes that any composition should strive for. Applying these concepts to web design can help both novice and experienced web designers create a site with a unified appearance and feel.
Of course, these are guidelines rather than specific laws to follow as we learn how to apply the many parts of a website's design. You can alter the website once you grasp the aims of web design and are more comfortable with each website piece.
Here are a few principles used by designers to achieve a professional look: Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Movement, Rhythm, Hierarchy, White Space, Unity.
Website Maintenance
New features, tools, and solutions are continually being introduced in the web design industry. The disadvantage of living in such a rapidly changing world is that it necessitates you - and your website - staying constantly up to-date and following a website maintenance plan.
After you've finished your first design, you'll need to update your website to make sure the content is up to date and the design isn't outdated. While it may appear fruitless, any obsolete parts on your website might have a detrimental impact on the interactions of your visitors, resulting in lower overall performance and sales.
Check your website at least once a month to ensure that there are no issues, that everything functions properly, and that your information is up to date. Consider the improvements you want to make while thinking about a redesign.
Getting Help a Professional Creative Studio
It's sometimes preferable to delegate the task to the professionals. The time and cost of hiring a creative studio to assist you might vary. AST & Partners specialises in launching attractive new websites for small businesses and start-ups. Our clients come from a variety of industries, including technology, robotics, digital health, wellness and wellbeing, enterprise, hospitality, and more.
To view a timetable and full layout of your ideal website, contact us for a consultation.