The biggest trend that can be observed in the design space is how designers are more and more focussing on the craft of visualisation. Gone seem the days of user research, exploration and concepting.

Although we are often bound by corporate design and conservative expectations, trend spotting can be fun and inspiring if we don’t take it too seriously. My subjective outlook features colors, technology, and legislation relevant to web design and web development in 2025.

This week’s Design Lobster is exploring the nuanced Japanese design concept of Shibui (渋い)—a refreshing antidote to instant gratification and spectacle. Plus a 1971 pocket lighter that Dieter Rams helped to design with a subtle detail that is very much in the same spirit.

The role of AI for web design has evolved significantly, transforming how websites are built and enhancing their functionality. No longer limited to basic automation, AI is now deeply integrated into the web design process, offering designers a powerful tool to create more dynamic, responsive, and personalized websites.

In this article, I’ve listed 7AI tools across 4 different categories to help you land design jobs in 2025.

Email accessibility is one of those few email design trends that are old but relevant even today! Email marketing experts hope to see senders paying close attention to building accessible emails.

Skeuomorphism and flat design are two of the most dominant design trends across web and mobile UI design. Or at least that was the case a few years ago.

So Nottingham-based agency Atomic, which designed and built the app, were surprised and delighted when it drove around 100,000 downloads in its first seven days and topped the App Store’s travel chart.

Sidebars are a staple in UI design, acting as essential navigational tools that help users explore and interact with an app or website. Typically found as vertical panels on the left or right side of the screen, sidebars provide quick access to key sections like dashboards, settings, or user profiles. Their primary role is to improve usability by organizing links and tools in one easily accessible space, so users don’t…

Over the past decade, Ian Frost and I have created design token systems for dozens of organizations — including some of the largest organizations in the world — to help them power their multi-product, multi-brand, multi-platform, multi-generation, Multi-All-The-Things product landscapes.