Posted By
Brian Unflat on 02/11/2009
Now’s the time to put some creative cuchi-cuchi into your Web
design. What is cuchi-cuchi you ask? Well if you were born after 1975, then you
may not know what cuchi-cuchi is, but it’s the trademarked expression that legendary
flamenco guitarist/actress Charo uses to express her enthusiasm toward life.
The term has no real meaning, but it is inspirational as well as humorous for
those who hear the Castilian accentuations she utters to get an audience going.
So, to add some cuchi-cuchi to your Web site design, I recommend these five online
design trends for 2009.
- One-page layouts
Simplicity in page design and user elements will continue to
be a useful trend. When users click on the navigation, the new page loads content
into the same content areas from the previous page. Navigation is supported by
sliding and scrolling effects coming from common JavaScript libraries. View a one-page online layout.
- Carousels (Slideshows)
Of course, leading the way in the carousel design trend is
Apple, Inc. This format was introduced very successfully into iTunes in recent
years, which led to its adoption as a fixture of site design heavy on content
using images and video. By skipping navigation through site sections to find favorite
content, users can quickly skim through the content they want without vertical
scrolling or unnecessary mouse movements. The results are quite favorable: the format
saves user time and focuses attention on the content, instead of on browser
interaction. This style of slideshow navigation has been used mostly on
entertainment Web sites, large blogs, designer portfolios, and news magazines. Check
out some examples
of the carousel design trend.
- Embedded Modals (light boxes)
Modal boxes are the second coming of pop-ups. They’re a
great alternative to JavaScript windows and support users by focusing attention
on the most important area of the Web site. These windows are triggered by a
user action (e.g., signing up or logging in) and then appear on top of the main
content much like a window does in a regular desktop application. These windows
are best presented in a subtle ways: semi-transparent white or black clean looks
with an obvious above-fold “Close” button for convenience. See examples
of embedded modal boxes. Click on “Enlarge Image.”
- Font replacement (sIFR)
As we pay more attention to typography, we also pay more attention to the fonts that we use for the copy in the body of Web sites and in
the headlines. Using fonts like Helvetica, Arial, Georgia, and Verdana will still dominate, but there is a trend towards font replacement such as sIFR (Scalable Inman Flash Replacement).
What is interesting is that these fonts are often seamlessly integrated in the design of Web sites; they are almost never used for their own sake or to simply “upgrade” a site's typography. Designers are trying to blend beautiful typography and arresting visual design to improve the appearance of Web
sites and improve the user experience. Check
out how sIFR works.
- Social media design elements
If you take a close look at the blogosphere, you’ll hardly be able to find a blog that doesn’t use some kind of social icons or social blocks to encourage readers to “share” its stories on popular social media Web sites. Every author loves traffic and recognition, which is why the social element in modern design is becoming bigger and aesthetically more attractive.
Social icons are usually put all over the place, often in the top right of articles or at the bottom of the post. Social blocks often fill the area beneath a post, and sometimes appear beside a list of related articles. Twitter, Flickr, and Last.FM integration is still common for blogs and portfolios. See the Mashable Social Media Guide site for more information.
It’s a new year, so look into some of these trends to give your site some extra somethin'-somethin' and make Charo proud!
Tags: Web design, online brand development, Flash design,
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