2018 was an interesting year for web design. Mobile viewing of websites finally surpassed desktop viewing for the first time which marks a monumental change in the way users are experiencing the data that web designers are throwing at them. Google is helping that shift along as well by prioritizing mobile-friendly web-pages that are quick and snappy in their load times and decked to the core with fine-tuned optimization. With such a massive push towards mobile viewing and the convenience of doing so without needing to be in front of a computer, here's the trends that we're sure will be picking up even more traction in 2019.
Flat Design Principles
The shift to mobile viewing quickly created the battle for "who's website will load the fastest?" over the years and we're confident this trend won't be going anywhere soon. Mobile devices - far from being technological powerhouses on the level of desktop computers - are limited in what they can optimally display due to data restrictions, poor network coverage, and slower processors. This has led to a reliance on minimalistic design principles and flat designs which utilize bright color palettes over complex and fancy images. While phones are getting better and better at what they can do and how fast they can do it, the importance of fast loading content is becoming increasingly important as our lifestyles get faster and faster.
Asymmetry
Too much perfection can get monotonous and boring. What better way to break the routine than with asymmetrical layouts? Splitting the view 60/40 and 70/30 will continue to see relevance long into 2019 for those of us still viewing from a desktop predominantly. Combining the space-contrast with bright color palettes including complimentary colors to catch the eye will be a frequent strategy.
Split View
Split view has been relevant in design for quite some time and we don't see it going anywhere. It's appealing to the eye to see more than just text, but seeing only an image doesn't keep the user's attention for long. The solution? Split the view and include both. Popular websites commonly use this technique which piggy-backed on a similar concept that we've been seeing in print for some time: embedded images surrounded by relevant text.
Image Compression
The reliance on mobile data has sparked more than flat design and minimalism. It's also brought back the compression-game to a whole new level. Developers are striving for faster and faster load times for their content so it only makes sense to conserve data in every possible avenue. The use of PNG images which can be heavily compressed while still maintaining their quality has become the staple image type at this point. It's no wonder that websites like tinypng.com are seeing such staggering amounts of traffic. Every image that isn't compressed is a lost opportunity at better optimization.