Design Trends for 2012
2012 has arrived. And there is plenty to look forward to, Euro 2012, the Olympics, the chance of an all Irish Heineken Cup Final and dare we dream, a two in a row All Ireland Football Championship for Dublin :)
As the year kicks off we are looking into our crystal ball to see what design, technology and online marketing treats await us! To keep ahead of the game we need to know what is around the corner so we can plan in advance to insure our clients can get the most out of their investment in design.
Here are 5 exciting trends to look out for in 2012. Remember you heard it here first!
1. Cross-Platform Compatibility
Graphic design now encompasses print, the web, television, mobile and tablet devices. It has become essential to design and build content that can be used across these different platforms. When commissioning a design consultancy consider all the platforms you may use now and in the future. Planning in advance ensures flexibility and longevity.
2. Touch Screen
With the arrival of mobile and tablet devices, navigation and screen space has become a huge area for consideration. For so long the mouse has been King. You are not touching the objects, you are touching a device that takes your input and does the real touching.
With mobile and tablet devices a mouse is not practical. This of course leads to touch screens - a more intuitive method of accessing information. Watching my 2 year old daughter tap, drag and manipulate a touch screen with such intuitive ease is scary. But watching my 82 year old father navigating his way around a touch screen is inspiring. For so long technology has been beyond him, he could never get his head around a keyboard and mouse. But with a tablet he browses the web with ease.
3. Horizontal Scrolling
If web pages were made out of wood, the grain would be running up and down. Vertical is the natural flow of web layout. The more content on the page, the taller it gets, not wider. This natural flow has lead to conventions in web page layout and even into hardware itself. Notice how many computer mice have a special scroller exclusively for vertical scrolling. As with Touch Screen, the introduction of mobile and tablet devices has changed our preconceptions. Because of the screen sizes and of course touch screen dragging, the introduction of a horizontal scrolling is more intuitive. Consider it when planning your cross platform compatibility!
4. Hand-drawn Effects
Graphic designers and their clients have also turned towards a more illustrative and hand-drawn look, embracing the imperfections and character of something made by hand. There has been a back lash against purely digital work which has been so prevalent for so many years. And a possible reaction to industrial Globalisation. Often the past and present are being integrated into works that are a hybrid of digital and hand-drawn or handmade processes, anything that gives computer-generated designs the feeling of a human touch. Large corporations have embraced this style in an attempt to re connect with their client base.
5. Social Media
This is an area that was big in 2011 and is just getting bigger in 2012 and shows no signing of plateauing yet. Bridging the web with social networking sites to attract audience attention is imperative. It also enables business and brands to get ample coverage and helps interactivity with users. Twitter is gaining in popularity. Google plus is projected to reach 400 million users by end of 2012. The facebook user base is currently at 800 million. Our article “Pros and Cons of Facebook” will give you an objective insight into using Facebook effectively.
Have a great 2012!!
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