The Internet is the fastest means of communication. But does that mean every facet of the web needs to run just as fast?
Don’t forget that design is a process, this includes web design. Yes, I know – your client wants their site live yesterday. And yes, your client is tech savvy enough to know that something can be pushed live on the internet in a matter of minutes and then changed 34,358 times post launch. But that does not mean the value of design should be ignored. This value depreciates when the process is taken for granted.
There are no shortcuts in creating great design. Yes – every web designer knows that everything tends to be expedited when created digitally. But stick to the process, even if it’s drawing some doodles in the conference room while Bob from sales drones on and on about CMRs and ROI.
Thumbnail sketches.
Don’t just dive into Photoshop without a paddle. Many times you’ll only be moving around shapes and text fields aimlessly until you finally end up with a generic layout and an unintuitive design that looks like it was done in PowerPoint. Put pen to paper and sketch out your ideas. Start small and build up.
Mood Boards.
Every designer needs inspiration. And every design needs a place to start. Sometimes it makes more sense to create a few mood boards before designing anything. Research your client. Get a sense for what best fits their brand in terms of style, tone and personality. Go out and find photos, typography examples and screenshots that you feel might fit the bill (and creative brief). Give the client styles, colors and images to choose from. Because here’s the thing: Many clients want to be a part of the design process, and make their mark if you will. Well, empower the client. Give them a sense that they are impacting the design from the start.
A great tool for creating online mood boards and collages is ImageSpark: http://www.imgspark.com/
Internal Design Critiques.
Yes – get in the conference room and discuss with your creative colleagues and director, but how about seeing what Janis from accounting thinks of your masterpiece? You may be in for a rude awakening and find out that your baby isn’t as cute as you think. People not emotionally attached to your design will be brutally honest and provide useful feedback. At the end of the day you’ll have to trust your own judgement as a designer, but it’s good to get a fresh perspective from someone else every now and then.
Take your own photographs.
Yes, stock photos are useful in a pinch – but if you have time, scout your own locations and take your own photos. It really makes a difference when you see thoughtfully placed photography that is ultra relevant to the content on the page, versus a generic, overly used stock photo.
Get your hands dirty.
Take a printmaking or letterpress class. Play with paint or watercolor on a real canvas. If anything you’ll at least come to appreciate how authentic texture looks and feels. Because you can’t paint on a monitor. I’ve tried.
Don’t underestimate the power of uniqueness and memorability.
Vanilla flavored, cardboard cut-out design does not taste good. And people notice. Do something that makes people say, “Wow – I’ve never seen that before.” Take some chances with the placement of things such as logo, navigation and what’s sitting “above the fold.” If your design is enticing enough, people will scroll to see the hidden gems that reside below your “hero banner.”
Don’t forget that web design is like any other art form. It is a process and usually can’t be solved in an hour in Photoshop.