Now that we’re weeks into 2016, we’ve been watching the web pretty closely, and listening to our clients, in search of what are the biggest web trends to expect in 2016. From design to development and user experience, here are the 7 most prominent web trends we believe are on the horizon this year:

1) Increasing Migration From Desktop Browsing to Mobile Devices as the Principle Method of Consumption

This is already something we’ve seen pretty consistently the past few years, as the world continues to favor their mobile devices over their clunkier desktop friends. As far as we’re concerned, when it comes to optimizing your site for a mobile device, if you’re not in, you’re out. And now with predictions that this migration will continue to transpire exponentially, we cannot stress it enough: optimize your site to match the mobile move. Every new site designed today should be mobile-first.

2) CSS3 Support May Finally Fully Materialize

Fingers crossed, 2016 will see the nail in the coffin for IE (Internet Explorer) 8 and 9, which will open up a lot of CSS3 to finally be leveraged fully to streamline programming, and increase flexibility in design implementation.

When this happens, front-end developers will be able to code up advanced behaviors and layouts much more easily using CSS alone for many of things that Javascript would typically have to be written for.

Flexbox layouts (CSS Flexible Boxes) will be readily usable without the need for IE work arounds: This includes making pages render faster, more creative, responsive layouts, and simpler code that’s easier to maintain. We’re down with that!

CSS3 Specifications can be implemented in all browser releases moving forward which developers will rejoice as they can avoid having to accommodate dated browsers and focus on writing quality code, and benefit businesses as agencies expedite the programming and visual design process.

3) Fewer Photos, More Illustration

Out with the photos in with the… drawings? Yep, that’s the visual prediction for the new year. In the past, photos have been an essential “must” for sites, blog posts, mobile apps… pretty much any digital content at all. But with the start of 2016, we’ve seen some steady movement away from photographs toward illustrations. Not altogether, but it’s certainly trending. So why are quirky cartoons and sketches gaining ground on their previously prevalent predecessors? We think it has to do with relatability. Oftentimes, photo headers and added images seem to reflect a “shiny, polished, but unapproachable utopia.” The photos look clean and pristine, but they don’t quite give the quirky, friendly, personal edge to a brand in the same way that a drawing does. (In a very New Yorker –esq way). So if you’re looking to connect with your audience on a personal level, you may want to pick up your pencil and start drawing.

4) Evolution of Flat Design

For a while it felt as though everyone was moving towards deeper, more complex visual layouts on their sites, including lots of photography and layered visuals. In 2016, look for more sites with more minimalist looks (think Gmail) and fewer fluffs and frills that can often make otherwise beautiful sites feel heavy and more challenging to navigate. Look for card layouts as more digestible ways to group content on a site. For giant background images to be scaled back and clean, clear sites with more consistent color schemes to become more pervasive.

5) Micro Experiences

Apps within apps, or “micro experiences” as they’re called, remind us of the web and mobile version of the movie Inception. And they’re pretty cool. Mostly on account of the greater level of interaction that they offer, micro experiences have already been topping the web and UX trend charts this year. By placing a self-contained showcase for a particular area of your business or brand within a micro experience rather than embedding it on your main screen, you achieve several key successes. First, you limit distraction from each page. Whereas previously, you may have had an overwhelming amount of text and content on one screen (which can deter your viewers, especially on a small, hand held device), you now have several clear, simple screens with a digestible amount of content. In requiring your viewer to click on a link to enter into a micro experience, you also generate a much greater level of interaction with your site.

6) Reduction in Page Height

This trend kind of goes hand in hand with the increase in micro experiences, we think. No viewer wants to squint at a phone or computer screen exhaustively, going through thousands of words of text. Most viewers need a visual “break” in order to stay engaged on a site, which is why less vertical scrolling is a major trend this year. Clicking on microsites, text pop ups, images with captions, or even scrolling in a different direction for a paragraph or two may limit reader weariness and foster greater engagement.

7) Focus on Original Typography and Color Schemes

This prediction in 2016 trends is all about design. In the past, sites and software have (for the most part) stuck with “web safe colors” like blues and greys, with the occasional red for a notification or two (hello Facebook/ Twitter/ Microsoft Word). But this year, we’re expecting saturated and vibrant colors with bolder typography. Typography will not stand alone and separate from images, patterns, and textures, but will instead begin to integrate all of these elements for a bolder overall site look that stands apart from other safe, “cool” colored sites.

About the Author:

Arra Derderian serves as the President and as a Lead Technical Architect for Cloud Construct. As a founder at Cloud Construct, Arra is involved in all levels of the business from new project engagements, project planning, and development.

He also serves as the founder of the Boston Orchard CMS User Group and is a member of the Windows Azure Insiders group.

Arra graduated from Northeastern University School with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.