Frank Stella "More or Less"
I mention in several places on this website that my approach to building websites is based on minimalist approach to web design. I thought it was worth going into a bit more detail about what I mean by ‘minimal web design’ and why I take this approach.
What is minimalism?
Minimalism is common in art, architecture and music. A couple of definitions:
“Minimalism in design reduces a subject down to only its necessary elements”
“Less but better”
Less but better is an interesting statement which I prefer to “Less is more” – which suggests that more is the overall aim.
What is minimal in web design?
The aim of minimal web design is to give more emphasis to the most important content on a web page.
Minimal web design puts greater focus on content and removes unnecessary complexities from the design of a website.
The elements that make up a website at are kept at their most basic, without sacrificing essential functionality. This “less but better” approach helps focus the minds of visitors on the key messages on a web page and reduces the risk of confusion that exists in over-designed websites.
The benefits of minimal web design
In general, visitors will spend a small amount of time on a web page. This means that there’s only a few seconds in which to grab their attention. If a visitor is not able to determine the key messages within a few seconds, something that is common on over designed websites, they are likely to leave the website and try somewhere else.
The more elements a web page contains the less impact each element has. A minimal approach to web design reduces the clutter on a web page which, in turn, can help to limit distractions that divert visitors away from the important content.
Applying minimal web design principles
The first consideration of minimal web design is how to simplify. Rather than focus on what is needed, focus on what is not needed. White space is key. Ensure that the elements of a web page have room to ‘breathe’.
Layout is key. It can make the difference between good minimal web design and a boring website.
Focus on removing content and elements of the design that don’t add value to the end product. Removing these unnecessary elements helps when deciding upon the most important feature or focal point of the page.
As always, content is king. Make sure that what is there is of high enough quality to support the entire web page. High quality images and text can help increase the impact of a minimal web design.
From a copy point of view, don’t take 1000 words to say what can be said in 100 words. However, on many occasions, clients will insist that all 1000 words of copy on a web page are absolutely essential. In this case, consider spreading the content across several pages or having some content initially hidden so that the impact of the most important points isn’t lost.
0 Comments
You can be the first one to leave a comment.