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What is web design?
Web design refers to the field of design that encompasses the process of creating and arranging websites, applications, and other digital interfaces. Emerging in the 1990s when the internet became more accessible, web design initially focused on simple static pages with text and images. At that time, the capabilities for working with visual elements were quite limited, and web designers mainly combined their work with development.
With the advent of new technologies in the early 2000s, such as CSS and JavaScript, web design became more independent of development. Designers began actively developing the structure and visual layout of websites, leaving the technical aspects to programmers. By the 2010s, the emergence of tools for creating visual prototypes and layouts without the need for programming language knowledge became the new standard in web design. Specialists began to broaden their horizons, creating interfaces not only for websites but also for mobile applications, televisions, and smartwatches.
Key components of web design
The key elements that web designers work with include:
- Structure: The hierarchy of pages that provides a logical flow for users navigating the site or application.
- Design: Visual elements, including colors, fonts, and animations, which must adhere to the principles of composition and branding.
- Navigation: The system of menus and buttons that ensures intuitive movement throughout the site.
- Responsiveness: The ability of the website to display correctly across various devices and screen resolutions.
- Interactivity: The ways the interface interacts with the user, including feedback forms and buttons.
To ensure responsiveness, web design must display correctly on desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices. It is important to remember that web design is not just about visual presentation but also about creating a user-friendly experience that allows users to easily find the information they need.
Differences between web design, UI, and UX
The differences between web design, UI (User Interface) design, and UX (User Experience) design lie in their focus and objectives. UX design is aimed at designing the user experience, ensuring a logical structure and intuitive navigation of the site. The result of a UX designer's work should be a sense of comfort and confidence for the user when interacting with the product.
UI design, on the other hand, focuses on the visual elements of the interface, such as menus, buttons, and forms. Web design encompasses aspects of both UI and UX but also requires a broader area of knowledge. UI and UX specialists conduct in-depth analyses of the user experience, including usability testing and surveys, while web designers work directly on creating interfaces.
Stages of web design
The web design process consists of several key stages:
- Designing: Developing the structure and logic of the interface in accordance with the project's goals.
- Prototyping: Arranging elements on pages, including buttons and forms, without using specific visual elements.
- Visualization: Creating a layout of the interface with selected visual elements, including colors and typography.
- Layout: Creating interfaces using no-code platforms or transferring prototypes to developers.
- Analytics: Analyzing the site's performance after its launch, including collecting data on traffic and user behavior to improve metrics.
These stages ensure the quality creation of web design that meets user needs and business objectives.