Web design refers to the visual aspects and user experience elements of site development, rather than software development. Web design used to be focused on designing sites for desktop browsers. However, since the mid-2010s, designing for mobile and tablet browsers has become increasingly important.
A web designer works on the content and look of a website. The look includes colors and graphics used, while design refers to how data is classified and structured. Good web design is easy to use, visually pleasing, and matches the intended user group and brand of the website. Most webpages are designed with a focus on simplicity, ensuring that no extraneous data or functionality that may distract or confuse users appears. Since the ultimate goal of an internet designer is to create a website that wins and boosts the confidence of the target audience, eliminating as many potential points of consumer frustration as possible is a crucial consideration.
Two of the most common approaches for designing websites that work well on both mobile and desktop are responsive and elastic layouts. In responsive layout, content moves dynamically based on the screen size, while in elastic layout, the site content is adjusted to design sizes that fit common screen dimensions. Maintaining a design that is as consistent as possible across devices is vital to maintaining user confidence and engagement. Since responsive design can pose problems in this regard, designers must be careful about how their work will appear. If they are responsible for the content as well, they may want to expand their skill set, but they will appreciate having the benefit of complete control over the final product.