An Introduction To Digital Design And Its Importance
The general term digital design is more relevant today than it ever was in the past. Any type of design that is in digital format (on a website or an app), instead of in print (on physical pages), is considered to be a digital design.
A concise definition of digital design was given by Retika Gore on Quora:
Digital design refers to designs that are created and produced to view on a screen.
As the world becomes increasingly digitized, most likely designers will be working with digital designs quite a bit. So whether you are a graphic artist or UX designer, having a thorough understanding of the specifics for digital platform designs will help you continue to advance in your career. If you are looking for a graphic design agency then see here.
Print vs. Digital Design: How Are The Two Different?
Initially, it might appear that print design and digital design are very similar to each other. However, there are some very important differences that need to be considered when you are designing for those two forms of media.
Different Types Of Deliverables
Since print and digital designs are used in different places, designers must become familiar with the various kinds of deliverables that might be requested.
Digital designers might create the following, among other things:
Graphics for white papers and reports (PDFs)
UX wireframes
Website elements
Infographics
Banner ads
It is more likely for print designers to create the following:
Print ads
Business cards
Book covers
Magazine spreads
Brochures
If you would like to pursue a digital designer career, you should read about the different kinds of projects you may end up working on. There are industry-standard formats for some digital projects, like banner ads. You may need to have specific skills beyond just general design skills for other projects. For example, when you are designing an infographic, it is useful to consider how data can be represented visually in a way that is effective for viewing online.
The Role Analytics Play in Digital Design
The role of analytics and data is another big difference between print design and digital design.
Although it may be hard to directly track a physical brochure or flyer’s performance, in the digital world you receive direct insights into the performance of your designs through such metrics as page views, downloads, shares, and likes.
Digital designers are often expected to create high-performing designs. That means that beyond creative attractive visuals, you also will need to consider your audience and what you can do to attract their interest You might be asked in some cases to test multiple iterations of your designs to determine which one is performing the best.
Design Interactivity
Digital design is interactive which is another thing that makes it different from print design.
Not all digital design forms are interactive. An infographic, in some ways, plays a similar role that a poster does since it is a static image. With web design, however, users frequently click, drop, and dragon elements you have created.
Compared to static design, interactive design is a lot more complex. In addition to having a design that is aesthetically pleasant design, it also needs to be usable – which is what UX designers focus on.
Graphic Designers
Although “graphic designer” is a really general term, for the purpose of our article, graphic designers can be viewed as digital designers who work with static images. The designers may be creating a digital illustration, a report, or an infographic. Their major concerns are branding, readability, and aesthetics.