Web Design Theory

You know an amazing web design when you see it... but what really makes it work? This session is dedicated to a series of essays, articles and tutorials on the topic of understanding the theory behind great website designs. If you want to learn more, also check out our free course on design systems.

Posts in this series

Understanding Visual Hierarchy in Web Design
Visual hierarchy is one of the most important principles behind effective web design. This article will examine why developing a visual hierarchy is crucial...
Brandon Jones
28 Sep 2011
Design Theory
Designing for the New Fold: Web Design Post Monitorism
Designing for the 'fold' has long been a priority for many Web Designers, but with so many devices capable of displaying your website, how on earth do you...
Shaun Cronin
25 Jan 2011
Design Theory
Great Design Hurts: Striving for Pixel Perfection
I'm going to share a design theory that I've been working on implementing into my own workflow for the past couple of years: pixel perfect mockups. To some...
Brandon Jones
12 Nov 2010
Design Theory
Mathematics and Web Design: A Close Relationship
Math is everywhere, even where you wouldn’t expect it. You can find mathematical ratios and constants in architecture, but also in the instruments we use to...
Daan Weijers
16 Nov 2010
Design Theory
An Introduction to Color Theory for Web Designers
Today we're going to learn the importance of color in Web Design and how to choose a pleasing color scheme. This article is part of our Basix series, which...
Thomas Cannon
12 Sep 2012
Design Theory
The Gestalt Principle: Design Theory for Web Designers
The way that people see our designs strongly effects the meaning that they take away from them. The Gestalt Principle examines this phenomena; As such, it's...
Ahmed Hussam
12 Jan 2011
Design Theory
The Scaling Fallacy and Web Design
Put simply, the scaling fallacy is the phenomena where people wrongly assume that something that works at one size will also work at another size. In this...
Brandon Jones
18 Jan 2011
Design Theory
Errors: Bad Decisions or Bad Design?
Let’s face it: errors happen all the time. Most errors are caused by what we call human error and they seem unavoidable, but I’m going to make the argument...
Brandon Jones
20 Jan 2011
Design Theory
Less is More: Fundamentals of Minimalist Web Design
Fighting the battle against clutter is something every designer undertakes, whether it's on their own site or when designing for a client. Your web site’s...
Curt Ziegler
14 Feb 2012
Design Theory
Understanding the F-Layout in Web Design
Today we're going to examine the "F Pattern Layout". Rather than trying to force the viewer's visual flow, the F-Layout gives in to the natural behaviors of...
Brandon Jones
7 Mar 2012
Design Theory
Understanding the Z-Layout in Web Design
The Z-Layout is a great way to start just about any web design project because it addresses the core requirements for any effective site: branding,...
Brandon Jones
19 Oct 2010
Design Theory
Concept and Inspiration: Design Theory for Web Designers
Developing a meaningful concept is a crucial step in any design project... but it's a skill that few people really take the time to understand and...
Ahmed Hussam
8 Feb 2011
Design Theory
Visual Direction in Web Design
One of the big secrets of design is learning how to guide the visual direction of viewers; This principle is often overlooked by even the most experienced...
Ahmed Hussam
13 Apr 2012
Design Theory
The Web Designer’s Theory of Relativity
Relativism is the concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity. For web designers, this has monumental implications. What is beautiful?...
Ahmed Hussam
6 Jun 2011
Design Theory
Unity in Web Design
Today we're going to take a look at a design principle that plays a major role in the success of a web design: Unity. As with many designed elements in the...
Connor Turnbull
14 Jul 2011
Design Theory
6 Beginner “Safety First” Color Guidelines for the Web
In this tutorial I’ll be sharing with you six sure fire, “can’t go wrong” guidelines you can follow to get a foundational grasp on working with color in web...
Kezz Bracey
26 Jun 2014
Color Theory

Web Design Theory

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