[BizTrends 2016] Designing trends

Simplicity

Flat design is not a new trend but long may it continue. Happy days that we have got over making everything appear to be 3D.

Simple icons and vector shapes load faster, are immediately understood and just seem more real. It is what it is. Which brings me to...

Honesty

We are at last celebrating the platforms for which we are designing (remember when everything in print was trying to look like digital and vice versa - although I confess I do still miss those retro Instagram frames). We will continue to see formats being shown off for what they are. Say hello to pure cyan, magenta, yellow and black in print and quick, zippy digital design that gives you information in split seconds. Basically it's information overload out there, and any content that is authentic and has authority on a subject will have us lingering for longer because we are all more than a little pressed for...

Time

Time is everything (who needs money right!?). It seems maybe we are getting better at knowing how we want to work with and spend our precious time. Not all at once. Not all on the same thing. Now more than ever, content and experiences that need to be quick and efficient really need to deliver, and content that allows us time to sit back and relax needs extra staying power. It's all about where we choose to spend our time now, and creating the correct environment that responds to this need is probably something I am hoping to see better resolved in 2016. I think we are all still working quite hard on that one.

Bells and whistles

What design forecast would be complete without a mention of fonts and - everyone's favourite subject - colour. Looking at Pantone's 2016 colours of the year, Rose Quartz and Serenity, what's not to love? They're simple, soulful, calm and spiritual. Seems like colour is miles ahead of the game, though, and all the fonts (and I mean all) are still at the type party. The one where crazy and excess rule. Showing off is the name of the game. Customised fonts are king and the rest are flirting all over the page.

No design, logo or landing page will be complete without making use of at least five different font styles. I'm going with and enjoying this trend - why not? It's so much fun! And I'm equally looking forward to seeing where this will all end up. I suspect that not long from now we might all be begging for some Helvetica. Yes. Only time will tell...