Animation is one of those trends that has got its claws into web interfaces. Its popularity fluctuates, but it’s always there somewhere, as an essential component in any web site. From tiny, barely visible, loading spinners, to whole page transitions like a movie experience, animation reaches into every area of our designs. For designers looking to incorporate animation, there are a wealth of options available. From purely decorative...

One of the most oft-repeated criticisms of any design is that it’s “poor user experience”. UX is set up as the ultimate achievement for any design project. But is this an over-simplification of the designer’s role? Should everything be about user experience? To paraphrase Leonard Hofstadter: “UX is a ‘smart decision’; it is like a bran muffin—a thing that you’re choosing because it is good for you…But sometimes, you...

Some say web design has become boring. Current trends and high-end techniques establish the rules for the creatives, playing a low-down trick on the community. Everyone wants to be in the mainstream, and release products that go viral; it means that a million interfaces are likely to have the same features. Of course, content can save the day. Still, the truth is that a lot of those interfaces are going to look the same. For several years now,...

It seems that, as a constituent of a design, backgrounds live in the shadows; however, that’s not entirely true. In times when CSS only began to make its first steps towards the world conquest, the background had already taken on the role of the main decorative element of the website. Nowadays the situation has not changed drastically. In most cases, it serves as a primary visual driving force that makes an important contribution to the general...

Do you remember all those projects with outstanding interactions, mind-blowing animations, and thrilling accompanying sound effects that resulted in an intensely immersive user experience? Yep, chances are those were created with the help of Flash. However I hate to admit it, the era of this rich multimedia platform has come to an end. Flash is finally dead. But fear not! As often happens when one door closes, another opens, and Flash...

There’s no need to talk up WordPress since everyone is aware of its vast potential. Instead, we're going to talk about some of the plugins. Some of them are vital, like a plugin for improving SEO or caching the site; others are optional, like a plugin for reCaptcha integration. Among the latter category, you often stumble upon plugins designed to help site owners keep up with recent design trends. For example, they can spice up interfaces with...