I have never been one to follow trends; skinny jeans are for skinny people, fluorescent orange will never be the new black.
Flat design, however, is one emerging trend worth keeping an eye on.
What exactly is flat design? It is a minimalistic design approach using simple, two dimensional images to represent apps on your computer screen, tablet or phone. Check out Windows 8; basic, easy to understand icons which make navigating their user interface easy for even the least tech savvy among us.
Such a simple approach could be dismissed as another design fad in an industry that changes daily. But flat design is more than just a matter of style; simple images make for an uncluttered interface or website which is ultimately more user friendly.
The question remains, however; should all small businesses adopt such a design?
Personally, I’m not convinced that the flat interface is the right option for all websites; a complete change can ruin a user’s familiarity with a site. The flat design interface can ‘abstract’ online navigation, which could ultimately affect a site’s conversion rate optimisation.
So what’s the solution?
Perhaps a middle ground is needed? Instead of small businesses with limited budgets rushing to do a complete overhaul of their websites, it may be worth tweaking a few things to give your online presence a more up to date look.
Below is an example of a website which has received a minor ‘flat interface’ make-over.
The outcome is subtle, but even such a small change could be the difference between your site appearing up to date and way behind.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
