Website design and web design require certain skills from the designer. You also need to make sure that you have the right tools to implement the latest web brand design trends for 2021 and beyond.
In this article, we’re going to take a quick look at the skills and tools you need to become a sought-after web designer who gets paid generously for your projects.
What skills do I need for modern website design?
Modern web design means knowing how to work with layered composite designs to harness the power of parallax animation, knowledge of shyomorphism and pneumomorphism to stay ahead of the curve, a deep appreciation and familiarity with them:
– Knowledge of emerging and popular web design trends.
– Knowledge of prototyping and design best practices.
– Eye for details.
– An appreciation for modern color worlds, the Pantone color of the year, etc.
– Experience working on small and large project.
– Knowledge of design thinking concepts.
If you have these necessary skills, you can earn a high salary compared to your peers. It is also helpful to stay tuned to continue discovering new ways to improve the user experience with your website designs.
What tools do I need for effective web design?
You also need the right tools with these capabilities to design and prototype your website before it even enters the development phase. Remember, as a UI and UX designer, you need to know how to create realistic interactive prototypes, and you need to understand the tools and skills required to make web design effective.
The best tools are usually cloud-based SaaS apps so you can work from anywhere. This is an important consideration when members of your design team work from home in different parts of the city or around the world. However, there are some very collaborative desktop options as well, as you’ll see. Here are some of the best tools to add to your design software arsenal:
Wondershare Mockitt:
Wondershare Mockitt uses the company’s extensive software development skills in the SaaS area. Hence, Mockitt is hosted in the cloud and is easily accessible in any modern browser on a connected device. This gives users the ability to securely access the platform from anywhere with their unique Wondershare ID. The best part is that this ID works with all other Wondershare products as well. Let’s take a look at some of the best features of this creative and versatile UI / US design and prototyping app.
– Extensive libraries of platform-specific assets for iOS, Android and the web.
– Dynamic widgets, page states and advanced movements and transitions with animations and effects.
– Rapid prototyping with drag-and-drop links to create complex interactions.
– Real-time preview with live review and comment for other interested parties.
– Easy project approval via secure and authorization-based URLs and QR codes.
– HTML- and developer-like code ready for review – seamless delivery
– Extensive options for design systems and UI kits for specific devices and platforms.
Webflow:
Another great website design tool is Webflow, which is modeled on WordPress but comes with a lot of extra features. The Webflow Designer utility lets you use JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 elements in your design, giving you the tools you need to create stunningly realistic prototypes. It also works well for dynamic content that works with your databases, which makes it ideal for ecommerce websites and more. Some important functions:
– Complete web design & development, and implementation utility
– Integrated web hosting platform with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Fastly CDN.
– Complies with HTTPS / 2 standards.
– Drag-and-drop interface with no programming knowledge
There is no prototype, but there is an intermediate server to test your site.
If you need to move directly from web design to web development, this tool could be the right tool for you. Ideal for small ecommerce sites, blogs, etc. and scalable for larger needs over time.
Balsamiq:
When you think of wireframing, Balsamiq is the desktop tool that comes to mind right away. There’s also a cloud version now, but the classic desktop version is the one that most people are familiar with. Balsamiq enables users to create wireframe prototypes that they can click to test their logic and other interactions. Here are some of the main features of Balsamiq:
– Complex wireframe with many prefabricated components.
Ideal for wireframe mockups and user testing. –
Edit via drag & drop.-
– Links to databases.
– Feedback mechanism integrated in the platform.
– Version history – ideal for fast and iterative prototyping.
– Click on the prototypes.
Balsamiq aims to make complex interactive scenarios simple. It helps stakeholders evaluate the basic capabilities of a website or application without wasting money developing iterative versions for functional testing and validation. While not an ideal design platform for hi-fi prototyping, in terms of functionality it captures the essence of the website.
UXPin :
This is a hybrid model where desktop apps are available with the web version. All platforms are collaborative by design and UXPin is one of the most professional UI / UX design tools out there. Best of all, it’s code compliant with current standards and deeply built into the code-ready features that are being rolled out all the time. Conditional logic flows, variables, and states allow you to create living prototypes that mimic the actual product. The main features are as follows:
Extensive platform-specific asset libraries. –
– Deep interactions with multiple flow options.
Integration with Slack and Jira. –
Quickly create complex interactive prototypes.-
– Collaboration tools for sharing and collecting feedback.
– Easy transfers for developers
The only downside to UXPin is that its advanced features are only available at the highest price points, which could make it unaffordable for small businesses on a budget.
