Website Design is a true team effort and something that evolved over time

Everyone talks about internet, power of web etc. but only few people really understand how website design evolved and what all it encompasses. Web design is a very broad term which includes not only the aesthetics of the website but the development process, web engineering, writing mark-up and even the user experience, interactive design, search engine optimisation etc.

Let us see how it evolved over time- the term World Wide Web was first used in 1989 when Tim Berners made it possible to see text pages through single browser. Consortium W3C was formed in 1994 to evolve the platform by developers and discouraging any single company to gain monopoly as era between 1995 and 1999 was characterised by wars between Microsoft and Netscape to gain dominance. JavaScript and HTML were developed during this time and then Microsoft launched its complete browser in 1996 and created opportunities for developers to use HTML and create complex websites with graphics     and then also came the Flash which was a great innovation. Open Source Licence was launched in 1998 by Netscape which created a level playing field for all engineers and developers to improve the software. Internet explorer’s launch in 2000 with complete compatibility with HTML and CSS was another breakthrough to remember. And coming to today’s time, we have HTML 5 and CSS 3 versions which are latest from W3C.

Talking about the techniques used in increasing the effectiveness of a website design, the components considered by designers include communication design, interactive design, page layout, and typography and motion graphics. Design of website should be well in line with the purpose (selling, broadcasting etc.) and keeping in mind the target audience. The website should be easy to use for the user, who can navigate easily to find the information he wants through clear instructions, layout which is easy to interact with and this calls for minimal plug-ins and friendlier interface. Page layout is quite critical given the different screen sizes used these days with mobiles, tablets, phablets etc. to access net and this has led to evolution of Responsive Design. The layout should be fluid as if it doesn’t fit the users’ screen well, he is likely to switch over to other websites. Another important aspect is typography as the information provided loses its relevance and attraction if the typo style and font are not proportionate.

Thus we see that web design is a true team game with web designers, web developers, engineers, graphic designers, content writers, internet marketing experts all working together to achieve a common goal- successful website design which is truly functional and is appreciated by all.