What comes to mind when you think of trends? There are certainly some positive connotations with being in trend. It implies being socially connected, following leading ideas and topics, and is often associated with an attractive status. However, there is also a perspective where trends represent a lack of individuality and creativity, and carry an association with low quality products.
Trends in General
If something is trending, that means there’s a period of heightened attention towards it - and potentially the period is brief. Trends are everywhere - in design, fashion, music, media, news, and in social behaviour.
Why is this cycle of trends so prominent in society?
The familiarity of trends makes them easier for us to process, and that ease is interpreted as positive and rewarding. Familiarity reduces uncertainty, and promotes comfort - things that are deeply rooted in our evolutionary traits. In the context of art and media, research has shown that people prefer paintings or images they have seen before, even with brief exposure. People tend to enjoy radio songs. Repeated exposure makes the content more attractive and memorable. This is known as the mere exposure effect in psychology, coined by Robert Zajonc in the 1960's.
However, at a certain point, the novelty diminishes, and we experience a hedonic adaptation toward things that were previously appealing. We have an innate desire for novelty and variety. Exploring new environments and ideas often leads to creativity, learning, and growth - a potential positive change.
This explains the prevalence of trends in society. The cycle stems from the pleasure of familiarity, followed by over-exposure, leading to boredom, and then the desire to seek novelty. This cycle is not inherently negative or positive; it is a reflection of a natural tendency.
Negative Implications of Trends
Sometimes, negative views on trends are valid. If something fades quickly, it may not have lasting value. We can be misled by the perfect balance of novelty and familiarity, but poor quality eventually shows. Truly high-quality, useful, and functional designs keep us interested over time.
In the context of physical objects like clothing, furniture, décor, and architecture, trends are often unsustainable due to the production cycle and resulting waste (recall Livestrong bracelets). The economic benefits are evident, but in a world of limited resources, the negative environmental impacts are significant. It raises important questions about the necessity of constant production evolution.
Trends in Web Design
The conclusions to be drawn are as follows:
- Trends are a natural occurrence stemming from evolutionary traits.
- Trends are not to be trusted as a fundamentally good product since they might lack the underlying quality that is seen in products of longevity.
- Trends in physical contexts are inherently unsustainable.
What does this mean in the context of web design? Trends in web design manifest in areas such as layout design, typography, animation, colours, shapes, navigation menus, user interaction, and more.
In response to the guidelines above:
(1) The trend cycle aligns with our natural responses to stimuli. With the right timing and balance, we can create appealing digital spaces, fostering consistent engagement by blending familiarity with periodic novelty.
(2) There is an underlying need for quality. Quality in digital experience means:
- Optimized information architecture
- Clear navigation
- Responsive and fast processing time
- Following principles of visual design
(3) By nature, digital design is not physical. It requires a dynamic lifecycle, and there are no (or at least minimal) negative sustainable implications in web design evolution.
Conclusion
Trends in web design encourage novelty and push the boundaries of innovation. Familiar designs are easier to process, therefore creating an optimized and pleasurable experience. Once the novelty fades, new trends emerge, keeping pace with the constantly evolving digital landscape. Although trends might be fleeting, they often foster innovation and inspire new ideas. As long as they are grounded with an underlying quality, trends play a valuable role in the digital landscape.