Written by Alan Smith

由艾伦·史密斯 ( Alan Smith)撰写

Minimalism has been an increasingly popular trend in the web design world. Designers may be tempted by bolder, feature-rich design because it might seem like the best way to engage user attention. Research, however, suggests that this is not the case. In fact, the same research suggests that visual complexity affects a user’s perception of the site within 50 milliseconds of exposure. Understanding this fact about first impressions can guide you to making the most of that time.

极简主义已成为Web设计界越来越流行的趋势。 设计师可能会被大胆，功能丰富的设计所吸引，因为这似乎是吸引用户注意力的最佳方法。 但是，研究表明事实并非如此。 实际上，同一项研究表明，视觉复杂性会在用户暴露50毫秒内影响用户对该站点的感知。 了解有关第一印象的事实可以指导您充分利用这段时间。

Users are most attracted to sites that have a clean design. Moreover, people are increasingly aware of a site’s usability. Modern users tend to favor designs that focus on necessary components and eschew distracting bells and whistles. While it may sound counterintuitive, minimalist design can offer higher user engagement, better usability, and appeal that is more aesthetic.

用户最受设计简洁的网站的吸引。 而且，人们越来越意识到站点的可用性 。 现代用户倾向于偏重于必需组件并避免分散注意力的设计。 虽然听起来很违反直觉，但简约的设计可以提供更高的用户参与度，更好的可用性和更美的吸引力。

极简设计的简史 (A Short History of Minimalist Design)

Some web designers mistakenly regard minimalism as a primarily aesthetic choice. They neglect the fact that the ultimate goals of minimalism are usability and economy — the ability to do more with less. To avoid the pitfall of focusing only on aesthetics, it is important to understand the roots of minimalist design. While it may be a newer trend in web design, the underlying ideas have been around for much longer.

一些网页设计师错误地认为极简主义是主要的美学选择。 他们忽略了以下事实：极简主义的最终目标是可用性和经济性-事半功倍的能力。 为了避免只关注美学的陷阱，了解简约设计的根源很重要。 尽管这可能是Web设计中的一种新趋势，但其基本思想已经存在了很长时间。

When discussing minimalist design, one of the first things people may think of is Japanese traditional culture. Because of cultural values that favor balance and simplicity, Japanese architecture, interior design, and graphic design have long employed minimalist aspects. The emphasis is on simple colors and design choices that promote functionality and a sense of calm.

在讨论简约设计时，人们可能首先想到的是日本传统文化。 由于主张平衡与简单的文化价值观，日本建筑，室内设计和图形设计长期以来一直采用极简主义。 重点是简单的色彩和设计选择，以增强功能和沉稳感。

As a Western movement, minimalism began early in the 20th century. Influenced by the introduction of modern materials, such as glass and steel as well as new building technologies, architects such as Mies van der Rohe began to employ minimalist designs in their buildings. Interestingly, Van der Rohe is credited with first applying the phrase “less is more” to design, making him an icon in the minimalist movement that shaped much of the modern era.

作为西方运动，极简主义始于20世纪初期。 受玻璃，钢等现代材料以及新建筑技术的引入的影响，密斯·凡·德·罗(Mies van der Rohe)等建筑师开始在其建筑中采用简约设计。 有趣的是，范德罗(Van der Rohe)首先在设计中使用了“少即是多”一词，这使他成为影响现代时代的极简主义运动的标志。

The less-is-more attitude quickly moved from architecture to other arts and industries — interior and industrial design, painting, and music. The central idea was to do away with any element that didn’t significantly contribute to the deeper purpose or function. As a preference for simplicity developed, so too did consumer products that employed the concept. Mid-century modern furniture did away with excess ornamentation and focused on clean lines. This carried through to the present with furniture manufacturers like IKEA offering simple, easy-to-use designs.

从少即是的态度Swift从建筑转向其他艺术和行业 ，包括室内和工业设计，绘画和音乐。 中心思想是消除所有对深层目的或功能没有重大贡献的要素。 作为对简单性的偏爱，采用该概念的消费类产品也得到了发展。 本世纪中叶的现代家具取消了多余的装饰，而只注重干净的线条。 IKEA等家具制造商一直提供简单易用的设计，直到现在。

Minimalist web design began as a natural application of these principles in reaction to a trend of increasing complexity in web design. Unnecessary animations and Flash intros bogged down the user experience, and some web designers decided that it was time to return to the less-is-more mentality.

极简主义的网页设计是对这些原理的自然应用，以应对网页设计日益复杂化的趋势。 不必要的动画和Flash简介阻碍了用户体验，一些Web设计师认为该是时候回到“少即是多”的想法了。

极简网页设计 (Minimalist Web Design)

Minimalism was applied to web design first in the early 2000s but has recently seen a flurry of interest. The popularity of these designs is evident in the success of such sites as Squarespace and the demand for minimalist-inspired WordPress themes.

极简主义于2000年代初首次应用于网页设计，但最近引起了人们的关注。 这些设计的受欢迎程度在Squarespace等网站的成功以及对极简风格的WordPress主题的需求中显而易见。

Even Google, the most popular website in the world, demonstrates minimalist principles:

甚至Google (世界上最受欢迎的网站)也展示了极简主义原则：

The Google homepage is designed entirely around its central search function. Anything unnecessary to the function, other than branding, was eliminated. Branding is even more prominent. Not only is it one of the few visual elements on the page, but because the page remains uncluttered; it’s not distracting. Google’s minimalist philosophy is a great one to follow to improve user experience and promote engagement.

Google主页的设计完全围绕其中央搜索功能。 除品牌外，该功能所不需要的所有东西都被消除了。 品牌效应更为突出。 它不仅是页面上为数不多的视觉元素之一，而且还因为页面保持整洁。 这不会分散注意力。 Google的极简主义理念可用来改善用户体验和促进互动。

极简主义的组成部分 (Minimalist Components)

Consider the following important applications of minimalist web design to maximize the effectiveness of an interface.

考虑以下最小化Web设计的重要应用，以最大化界面的有效性。

Use of Negative Spaces: In this context, negative is a positive. Negative space is just the empty space between visual elements. More empty space means more emphasis on existing elements. In the above example of the Google homepage, it’s impossible for users to have trouble finding the search function. Negative space helps prevent information from overwhelming users.

负数空间的使用 ：在这种情况下，负数是正数。 负空间就是视觉元素之间的空白。 更多的空白空间意味着更多地强调现有元素。 在上面的Google主页示例中，用户很难找到搜索功能。 负空间有助于防止信息淹没用户。

By removing anything that isn’t necessary to the page’s goal, designers ensure that users have a less stressful and more engaging experience. The most challenging aspect of executing proper use of negative space is in not removing so much that users have to search unnecessarily for the features they need — that would defeat the purpose of minimalist design. While negative space is often also called white space, it doesn’t have to be white. Some sites use full-color backgrounds to energize empty space.

通过删除不需要达到页面目标的所有内容，设计人员可以确保用户的压力较小且更具吸引力。 正确使用负空间的最具挑战性的方面是不要删除太多内容，以至于用户不必要地搜索他们所需的功能，这将使简约设计的目的无法实现。 尽管负空间通常也称为空白 ，但不必一定是白色。 一些网站使用全彩色背景来激发空白空间。

Contrast: Employing a simple high-contrast palette gives a site a fresh, modern look. When there are fewer visual elements on a page, the palette can have a greater impact. Moreover, high contrast can help make a site more readable and can direct users to important information or potential actions. As the goal of minimalist design is ease of use and efficiency, high contrast is good choice for many sites.

对比度 ：使用简单的高对比度调色板可以使网站看起来清新，现代。 当页面上的可视元素较少时，调色板会产生更大的影响。 此外，高对比度可以帮助使站点更具可读性，并可以将重要的信息或潜在的操作引导用户。 由于极简设计的目标是易于使用和效率，因此高对比度是许多站点的不错选择。

Dramatic Typography: Whether employing minimalist principles or not, typography is a key to successful web design. In minimalist design, however, dramatic use of typography becomes even more influential, because there are fewer elements on a page. This places more emphasis on typographical decisions and can be employed to great effect.

戏剧性的排版 ：无论是否采用简约原则， 排版都是成功进行网页设计的关键 。 但是，在极简主义设计中，由于页面上的元素较少，因此大幅使用排版会产生更大的影响。 这更加强调了印刷决定，可以被运用来产生很大的效果。

Designers should be cautious when using dramatic typography, however. Use ornate fonts sparingly and as central design elements. Choose content with care to be sure that the emphasized message or action is the right one.

但是，使用戏剧性版式时，设计师应谨慎。 尽量少使用华丽字体并将其用作主要设计元素。 请谨慎选择内容，以确保强调的信息或操作正确。

Simplicity: Simplicity is, ironically, a little more complex to define in the context of web design. It’s not just about the way a site looks; it’s about the user’s overall experience interacting with the site.

简单性 ：具有讽刺意味的是，在Web设计的上下文中定义简单性要复杂一些。 这不仅与网站的外观有关。 这是关于用户与网站互动的整体体验。

One thing that simplifies a user’s experience is the ability to accomplish tasks easily and without distraction. The biggest contributing factor to this kind of simplicity is intuitive page navigation. “Simple” designs don’t confuse or distract users from accomplishing their goals. Rather, they blend into the user’s experience, so that the user can focus.

简化用户体验的一件事是能够轻松而又不会分散注意力地完成任务。 这种简化的最大因素是直观的页面导航。 “简单”的设计不会混淆或分散用户实现其目标的注意力。 相反，它们融入了用户的体验，因此用户可以集中精力。

Another way to simplify design is to cut unnecessary decorative elements, such as Flash animations. While Flash was popular for several years, it tends to create problems on a page and doesn’t add anything in the way of functionality. Under the principles of minimalist design, it’s just not a good idea.

简化设计的另一种方法是削减不必要的装饰元素，例如Flash动画。 尽管Flash流行了好几年，但它往往会在页面上产生问题，并且不会在功能上添加任何内容。 根据简约设计的原则，这不是一个好主意。

简单但清晰 (Be Simple, But Clear)

As with appropriate execution of negative space, designers should be careful not to eliminate necessary features while trying to simplify a site. An example of this problem is the popular hamburger menu, where central navigation is collapsed under a single menu icon.

与负空间的适当执行一样，设计人员在尝试简化站点时应注意不要消除必要的功能。 这个问题的一个例子是流行的汉堡菜单，其中中央导航折叠在单个菜单图标下。

There are instances where the hamburger menu is an appropriate choice but for many sites, a visible central menu will better engage users. If a site’s goal is to expose users to new information or products, taking away the menu function in the interest of simplicity actually works against minimalist goals.

在某些情况下，汉堡菜单是一个适当的选择，但是对于许多站点而言，可见的中央菜单将更好地吸引用户。 如果站点的目标是使用户接触到新信息或新产品，则为了简单起见而取消菜单功能实际上会违反最低限度的目标。

极简主义，成功的用户体验 (Minimalism for a Successful User Experience)

In web design, it might be most accurate to revise the less is more adage. Less is more if less does more. As the web design field focuses more and more on user experience, designers need to create the most usable and attractive sites possible. Carefully applied, minimalist principles can help designers make attractive and effective sites with fewer elements, simplifying and improving users’ online interactions.

在网页设计中，修改越少可能越准确。 少即是多，少即是多。 随着Web设计领域越来越关注用户体验，设计师需要创建尽可能最有用和有吸引力的网站。 认真运用极简主义原则，可以帮助设计师以更少的元素制作有吸引力且有效的网站，从而简化和改善用户的在线互动。

想了解更多？ (Want to learn more?)

If you’re interested in the intersection between UX and UI Design, then consider to take the online course UI Design Patterns for Successful Software and alternatively Design Thinking: The Beginner’s Guide. If, on the other hand, you want to brush up on the basics of UX and Usability, you might take the online course on User Experience (or another design topic). Good luck on your learning journey!

如果您对UX与UI设计之间的交叉点感兴趣，请考虑参加在线课程“成功软件的UI设计模式”和“ 设计思维：初学者指南” 。 另一方面，如果您想了解UX和可用性的基础知识，则可以参加有关用户体验 (或其他设计主题 )的在线课程 。 祝您学习愉快！

(Lead image source: Foundry — Creative Commons License)

(主要图片来源： Foundry-创用CC许可 )

Originally published at UsabilityGeek by Alan Smith, who is an out of the heart writer voicing out his take on various topics of social media, web design, mobile apps, digital marketing, entrepreneurship, startups and much more in the cutting edge digital world. He is associated with SPINX Digital a Los Angeles web design company & digital marketing agency.

由艾伦·史密斯 ( Alan Smith)最初在《 可用性》杂志上发表，他是一位发狂的作家，他在社交媒体，网页设计，移动应用程序，数字营销，企业家精神，初创企业以及新兴数字世界中的许多主题上发表了自己的见解。 他与SPINX Digital(洛杉矶网页设计公司和数字营销代理)相关联。