Design trends are visual elements or design systems that sweep over the web and start appearing on many different websites. As with most things, there is a time and a place to follow trends and when you’re just starting out in the industry you can feel pressure to make your designs look like the ‘professionals’. In this episode we discuss the impact trends have on our design styles and the level of attention we give to them.
It’s important to be aware of design trends and their affect on our industry, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow them.
Take notes from design trends and what other designers are doing and use them as a jumping off point for your own ideas.
Following design trends can sometimes get in the way of the problem that needs to be solved. The visuals can’t be your main focus when you’re designing; the structure is more important. You should never follow a trend at the expense of answering the brief.
If you are going to use a design trend element in your design, make sure you know the reason why you’re using it. It should help you solve the problem or get the message across, not be visual noise.
0:50 – Intro & catch up
5:30 – Our definition of a design trend and a chat about current trends
8:15 – How important are design trends really?
9:40 – Design trends vs common design principles
11:20 – The temptation to follow trends when you’re new in the industry
13:00 – When the trend gets in the way of the design
14:50 – Trends we’ve tried
17:00 – Trends influence our design style more than we think
20:15 – Updating websites to fit with trends
22:50 – What trends are worth giving attention to right now?
28:30 – Our listener’s thoughts on design trends
38:20 – Last words of wisdom
