2022 Design Trends

Each year lists and lists of design trends are shared and discussed. And each year we take a look to see what might be in our design future for your projects. Sometimes the trends are spot on, and other times, well, better we didn’t jump on the trend.

Here’s some trends predicted for 2022

  1. Inclusive design mania
    Inclusive design affects every step of a website design process. It’s not just what you say, it’s also how and where you say it. Alt text, legible text (font, size, and color), and avoiding text-as-image are all ways of making sure everyone will be able to read what your site has to say, regardless of language or ability.
  2. Scrollytelling
    Scrollytelling is also referred to as “narrative visualization” — a series of visual elements sequenced together, organized chronologically to convey a specific message to visitors.
  3. Brutalist typography
    An unapologetic rugged style that sits in contrast to the more polished modern convention.
  4. Typography animation/ kinetic typography
    This is a trend that has in reality been around since the 1960s when feature films started using animated opening titles instead of static text.
  5. Nostalgia
    This approach calls for slowing things down, giving a more analog feel.
  6. Contrast colors
    Usually targeted to a specific audience, this style has developed into a vibrant, popping web design aesthetic.
  7. Imagery multilayers
    Multilayers of content are a way to challenge conventional components that our eyes are used to — like photo galleries and typographical elements that create an immersive experience for telling the website story. 
  8. Delight
    Humor can take many forms, and a website that provokes a laugh is always fun to build. Why not have some fun with your build?
  9. One page websites
    These sites evoke the feeling of holding a flyer or reading a poster. All the information you need to review is in one place without the distraction of navigation or searching multiple pages.
  10. Gender neutral design
    Another approach that we see becoming a standard is gender-neutral web design, which we already see being adopted more universally. 

And here are a few outdated trends you might want to consider changing on your sites:

  • Say goodbye to slideshows
  • Autoplaying videos (especially with audio)
  • Hover menus (and large menus)
  • Large cookie alerts
  • Bland stock photos
  • Aggressive pop-ups
  • Too many short pages

The main take away though from these lists is to make sure you are delivering content and design FOR YOUR AUDIENCE!  Think about who is currently visiting your site and who do you want to visit.  

While defining both who your target audience is, and what they are hoping to accomplish when visiting your website, can be a challenging process – don’t overthink it. Keep it simple.

 

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