Web Design Elements

Since images and videos were complex to load, most early websites were text-based. When the range of colors expanded in 1994, the new colors were very bright and clashed. Thus, it made websites eye-straining and busy.

According to The History of Web Design, balancing text, color, and images was problematic from 1994–1998. Websites were cluttered and hard to navigate because of misused design elements. Due to difficulties in navigating and limited features, people were not as reliant on websites today.

The Importance of Design Elements

Design is an essential component of any product, solution, or service: a product’s visual appeal, accessibility, and user-friendliness all influence consumers’ decisions. If the design does not entice a user, one is less likely to buy a product. Similarly, if a user is not captivated by the website, the reader will likely move on to a more appropriate website. When web design began in the 1990s, there were few standards for design, so websites were more organic. However, in the 21st century, with advanced features and capabilities, there are design standards for web designers to follow.

A website’s ability to function and visual design shape a user’s experience. Users will become frustrated if a website is challenging to navigate or overly crowded with pictures, colors, and text. For businesses, this could potentially mean the loss of a customer. However, if a website is well-designed and balances design elements properly, it engages and attracts customers. 8 Guidelines for Exceptional Web Design, Usability, and User Experience list several key design elements: simplicity, consistency, and accessibility.

Although it depends on the targeted viewers, most websites should be simple enough that a child can easily navigate the site. Creating a simple design makes it easier for users to complete their interactions with a website. If a website is too complex or has too many unorganized elements, it becomes challenging to complete a task. Using two to five colors, legible font, and simple graphics to help websites look clean and professional. The simple design enables the accessibility of a website, making it easier for viewers to use the website.

Overlapping Elements of Web Design

Having grown to an era with an understanding of design standards, web designers no longer rely on websites that showcase individual elements. Instead, designers use many different features, factors, and techniques to build intricate websites. For example, instead of having a separate image and a title text, one can overlap the text over the top of the picture. This creates a dynamic feel to the website and helps the viewer focus on the text. The result is interface users find easy to access and engage in.

According to Why Visuals Are More Powerful Than Words, people remember visuals better than orally presented information. 10% of people remember information presented orally three days after being given the information. So, by combining a picture or visual with text, more people retain the information. With a photo, 65% remember the topic three days later. Since images and animations immediately catch the viewers’ eyes, the viewers become focused on the title. This result is a website with more memorable information.

Overlapping web design graphic elements create an organized and professional-looking website that follows design standards. Using a model such as the Box Model makes it easier for users to follow as they scroll or switch from web page to page.

The Box Model

Cascade Style Sheet (CSS) Box Model shows an example of overlapping web design elements. The Box Model consists of a margin, border, padding, and content. Each element is stacked on top of the other. The outer layers wrap around the web content to make the content stand out. Design Elements & Principles describes the importance of how lines and borders direct the user’s attention to a specific section of the website. Solid lines of color are not the only borders that work with the Box Model. Images can also be used as backgrounds, which center the viewers’ attention on web content. Catching the user’s attention and highlighting important information with borders, web designers create a three-dimensional effect. This also helps define the space between elements.

The Box Model can also help with the flow of a website. Defining negative space between content helps balance web pages, making it easier for viewers to follow. A balance between content and negative space creates a sense of symmetry that is easy to adjust using the Box Model. A mix of box sizes allows web designers to use less space for content display. Web designers can also vary the number of content boxes in the padding to create a table-like feel.

Design Models using Overlapping Elements

Overlapping web design elements can be seen in lots of modern-day website models. Models such as Semi-Flat Design, Card Design, Background Videos, and Large & Responsive Hero Images all use overlapping web design elements. Overlapping web design elements create a better visual flow for websites and attract viewers. In 2013, Apple started Semi-Flat Design, which uses text and a transparent box over an image. The shadows create depth and intrigue the user to see what happens when one clicks on the text. Other websites like Uber have followed Apple’s Semi-Flat design model.

The Card Design approach became popular with websites such as Pinterest. Similar to the Box Model, Card Design uses boxes to feature information. The Card Design breaks up data into “cards,” which feature an image and related text. These designs are helpful if a user wants to perform a side-by-side comparison of products. The Card Design and Large & Responsive Hero Image both use text overlapping on top of images. The Large & Responsive Hero Image also uses an image behind the text. The Large & Responsive Hero Image design focuses on the image, capturing viewers’ attention. Background Videos can also feature text over an image. However, in this case, the background is a video that can play with a transparent navigation bar on top. After all, viewers are more responsive to videos than text.

Some may argue that overlapping web design elements make websites overly cluttered. When design elements are left on their own and not grouped, the content becomes scattered for the viewer. However, web designers use an overlapping elements model like the Box Model to take up less space on the webpage. Scattered content results in challenges, and space are not used efficiently.

How Overlapping Elements Appeals to Users

In our fast-changing society, a website must meet the needs of today’s demanding users. What is popular or easy to navigate could change as quickly as new software updates come out. Overlapping Elements can help attract users with interactive and visually pleasing dynamics. One pattern web designers incorporate with modern websites is that websites are designed so that text and images complement one another. Also, those images are strategically picked to match the background colors. This creates a seamless feeling that the image is part of the background and keeps the website fluid.

One of the significant changes from the 1990s to the present day is the presence of hand-held devices. Cell phones and tablets have different viewing capabilities. It becomes limited if a website cannot adapt to different screen sizes or devices. Overlapping design elements work well with smaller devices, as it is easier to navigate with compact information.

Over four billion people are using the internet. With so many internet users using hand-held devices, using overlapping elements becomes essential. Overlapping web design elements creates a consistent flow that keeps users engaged throughout their website navigation.
Overlapping Elements Shaping Future Websites

Takeaway on Web Design Elements

There are many essential web design tips and trends that will influence the websites of the next generation. Our livelihood revolves around the internet; without well-designed websites, our way of life will be chaotic. Creating a three-dimensional and flowing feel to a website seems to be pushing beyond the confining lines of simple websites. New animation techniques, scrolling capabilities, linking sound to scrolling, and other elements are all on the frontier.

Though web design techniques are changing daily, overlapping web design elements will play a prominent role in syncing these elements. Another area to remember is that search engine optimization crosses the path of websites, databases, structure, and content. Website designs are not just about making them pretty but finding ways to deliver content and double traffic.