Web design is a complex practice that requires skill, creativity and even a touch of psychology. Just like any other industry, the best in the field take plenty of training and development before they are able to perfect their skills. Of course, even for those at the top of their game, there is always room for improvement. In this article, we look at five tried and tested techniques that will help you to broaden your horizons and improve your skills.

Strip it Back

Most people visit a website for information. Animations, motion graphics and other flashy components may seem impressive to other designers – but designers aren’t usually the target audience. Remember, a business’s website is more likely to convert visitors to customers if they can access clear information as easily as possible. Starting with the most basic elements, you can create a draft that provides only necessary information. Consider the following: What is the overall aim of this particular page? What are the intentions or goals of the individuals using it? Simplify everything right from your page design to your navigation. Once you have a basic skeleton, you can go through adding visual interest and additional touches but be restrained.

Practice

If you have an idea, no matter how wild it is, try it out. Set up a little laboratory on your computer where you can experiment with new approaches. No matter how successful you are, it’s vital to stay on top of your game and try new things. That’s how people become pioneers and game changers. If it doesn’t work, you’ve still learned something. If necessary, enroll in a university course, apply for a student loan and upgrade your knowledge and skills. Self-taught creatives can bring wonderful freshness and innovation, but learning from others can offer great scope and provide inspiration. The money you invest in your education will bring you a huge ROI when you get back working and putting what you’ve learned into practice.

Think of the User

Not everyone will agree with your opinion of what makes an appealing and effective website. A good web designer is able to put himself/herself in the shoes of the end user. What will be the average age of visitors to this site? Older users may be less tech-savvy and might not appreciate trendy themes or bells and whistles. Is the site for an entertainment company? Inject a little quirky color and fun. Is it for a funeral home? Muted tones and a discreet font may be best. Accessibility is also important. The site should be optimized for all devices – smartphones, tablets and desktops – and the navigation should be simple. Certain types of code or unsuitable caching methods can slow down a site’s load speed, as can larger image formats. Remember, a large proportion of people will leave a website if it takes longer than three seconds to load so do what you can to speed up the process.

Ask for Feedback

If you’re passionate about your work, it can be scary to ask what people think. However, as a web designer, you create visual, public-facing products. This makes it vital to get constructive feedback from the right people wherever you can to improve the effectiveness of your products. Try not to get defensive – take every comment on board and consider how you can put it to use. Open-mindedness is one of the most valuable traits in a creative professional.