Our five-pronged approach focuses on your individual strengths to develop your unique qualities towards making you an exemplary pi- designer.
Sukanya Bhattacharjee
01/08/2025
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Overview
This article is your comprehensive guide to designing a website—from understanding the full web design process to exploring innovative UI/UX ideas and industry best practices in 2025. It talks about the growing influence of AI in shaping digital experiences, highlights essential tools of the trade and offers insights into career opportunities, including UX designer salaries in India.
In 2025, attention spans are shorter, choices are endless and first impressions happen in milliseconds. A well-designed UI/UX isn’t a luxury anymore—it’s survival. Users won’t wait, scroll or guess. If your website isn’t intuitive, fast and human-centric, they’ll move on. Good design felt. And that feeling decides everything. Here’s a guide to designing websites that not only look good but think, feel and respond like a pro.
Table of contents
A UX design process is a structured sequence that converts ideas based on user needs and business goals into a user-friendly interface. The steps typically include:
– Understand why the product or service is needed, and identify the problems it aims to solve.
– Empathise with users, find out their needs, preferences and pain points.
– Plan how to address user needs after collecting all the necessary information. Create user personas, define their stories and develop wireframes to guide the design.
– Draw out your ideas to visualise the look of your interface. Decide on the layout, navigation and other important elements on each page.
– Present a realistic experience through usability testing. Provides insights into what’s working well and what requires improvement.
– Identify areas of the design that need improvement before the design goes live through feedback from real users, and understand the user’s point of view.
– After the design has been tested and the necessary changes are made to the user interface, hand over the product to the development team for implementation.
– Focus on continuous user feedback for improvements, ensuring the product evolves based on changing needs.
While UI and UX design are often used interchangeably, they focus on different aspects of a website or an app design. Here’s the key difference between UI and UX design:
UI (user interface) design determines how intuitive or easy it is to use a website or an app. It focuses on elements like buttons, typography, colour schemes and layout, ensuring the interface is visually appealing and easy to interact with. To map out a logical product flow, you must research user needs.
For example, Apple’s iOS is a prime example of seamless UI design, where every element, from icons to sliders, is thoughtfully designed to be attractive as well as functional.
UX (user experience) design focuses on the interactive elements and overall experience of the user. It is responsible for designing all the screens and components, covering everything from how simple the navigation is to how satisfying it is to complete a task. A great example would be Google Maps. The app has a clean design and offers an easy flow, guiding users effortlessly from start to finish, ensuring they don’t feel lost or confused.
In a world of content overload and constant updates rolling out for Instagram and YouTube, the user experience (UX) matters the most. A well-designed interface that can hold attention and retain users by keeping up with the latest trends, like:
Example: Shopify’s Dynamic UX in Action
In 2025, Shopify rolled out advanced AI features like semantic search and real-time personalisation to customize each shopper's experience. It would analyse browsing behavior, purchase history and search patterns in real-time. This allows storefronts to adjust content, product recommendations, banners, and layout for each visitor. They also introduced Storefront MCP, allowing AI chat agents to guide visitors naturally and assist with queries like "Add my favorite renewable t-shirt to cart."
Example: Myntra’s AR and VR features
Myntra introduced the ‘Looks Virtual Try-On’ feature to improve the customer shopping experience. It lets customers try on multiple products and clothing items accessible directly from the Myntra app. This offers a realistic experience without the need to visit a physical store and encourages consumers to shop on the go.
Example: IoT in Retail & eCommerce
Smart shelves equipped with IoT sensors automatically track inventory levels, reducing out-of-stock situations and improving restocking accuracy. This integration enhances operational efficiency and ensures a seamless shopping experience for customers.
Example: Physical interaction with eCommerce
Gesture-based navigation allows users to interact with e-commerce platforms through physical movements, such as swiping or tapping, instead of traditional buttons. This improves accessibility and provides a more intuitive user experience.
Example: Finding a jewelry item
Using multimodal AI systems, a customer can upload a photo of an engagement ring and add text or voice descriptions like “Show me similar rings with a rose gold band” to refine search results, leading to more accurate and personalised shopping experiences. The system analyses both inputs, considering design elements, metal type, and gemstone shape to refine the results.
Example: Product recommendation
AI-driven platforms analyse customer data to predict purchasing intent and dynamically adjust content, pricing, and messaging. This level of personalisation enhances customer engagement and drives sales by delivering tailored shopping experiences.
Example: Voice-activated micro interactions
Users can engage with devices through micro interactions like voice commands, and the feedback comes in the form of sound cues or visual indicators. This trend will make interactions more accessible and efficient.
Example: Nike’s headless e-commerce
Nike, a leading brand in athletic clothing and footwear, uses a special e-commerce setup called "headless e-commerce" to provide a better shopping experience for people who mainly shop on their phones. In simple terms, the "headless" approach means that the design of the online store (the "front end") is separate from the backend systems that manage the store. This allows Nike to fully customise how their website looks and feels, especially for smaller screens like mobile phones, without worrying about backend limitations.
Example: BoySmells
In the US, there are over a million adults who identify as non-binary, but there aren't enough products designed for them. Many beauty and hygiene products are usually labeled as either for men or women, even though it doesn’t have to be that way. BoySmells, a brand that makes perfumes, recognizes this and chooses not to label their products by gender. Using inclusive marketing, instead of calling their perfumes "for men" or "for women," they simply call them "fragrances" that anyone can use.
Example: Samsung and Amorepacific
AI-powered tools in the beauty industry, such as Amorepacific's voice-activated chatbot and Samsung's Beauty Mirror, allow brands to cater specifically to individual needs, enhancing customer loyalty and driving higher conversion rates by providing personalized experiences.
When designing a website, balancing functionality with aesthetics is what provides a positive user experience. Some essential principles of basic website design include:
– A clean and straightforward design ensures that users can easily understand and navigate the website without distractions.
– Consistent elements like colour schemes, typography, and layout help users familiarise themselves with the interface and improve the overall experience.
– The website must look and work well across all devices, from desktops to smartphones, ensuring an optimal experience regardless of screen size.
– Users expect websites to load quickly. Optimising images, reducing unnecessary content, and choosing a reliable hosting service contribute to a faster website.
– Ensuring the website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, is essential. This includes readable fonts, colour contrast, and keyboard navigation.
Some outstanding website design examples show how UI/UX principles can be effectively executed:
Apple’s website combines sleek UI design with an intuitive UX. The minimalistic layout, clean typography and user-friendly navigation allow users to explore products with ease.
Airbnb uses clear imagery, consistent design elements and smooth navigation. The website’s UX is designed to offer an effortless booking experience, making it simple to find and book accommodations.
Spotify’s website provides a seamless experience with a visually appealing interface and easy navigation. Its personalised user experience, such as recommendations based on listening history, showcases the power of combining UI with a deep understanding of user behaviour.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for web design has become a significant collaborator, providing designers with valuable insights, automating tasks and allowing them to focus on creating meaningful human-centred experiences.
– AI automates repetitive tasks such as layout adjustments, colour selection, image optimisation and content organisation while assisting with design decisions. This reduces manual effort and accelerates the workflow.
– AI tools are making websites more accessible to users with disabilities by ensuring compliance with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). For example, AI can automatically detect colour contrast issues or suggest alternative text for images, ensuring that websites are usable for visually impaired users. AI-powered voice recognition also enables voice-controlled navigation, improving usability for those with motor impairments.
– AI can adapt web design based on user behaviour and preferences, offering tailored experiences. It can personalise the content, layout, and even product recommendations by analysing data from a user's previous interactions. For example, e-commerce websites like Amazon use AI to recommend products based on past purchases, browsing habits, and even location, increasing conversion rates.
Here are some of the latest creative website design ideas that are making an impact in 2025:
Bold typography creates a strong visual hierarchy and sets the tone for the website. Using oversized and expressive fonts adds personality to a website design, drawing attention to important messages.
With clean layouts, designers focus on stripping the design down to its most essential elements. This allows content to stand out while keeping the user interface free from distractions. The generous use of whitespace improves readability, navigation, and overall user experience.
Small animations or reactions to user actions (like hover effects, buttons that change when clicked, or smooth transitions) are used to engage users. These can make the website feel alive and responsive.
Many websites now offer dark mode as the default option, providing a more comfortable viewing experience, especially in low-light environments. Dark mode also helps reduce eye strain, making it a practical design choice for longer browsing sessions. Additionally, designers are paying attention to contrast to ensure the website is accessible to users with visual impairments.
Websites are incorporating AI to provide more personalised experiences. Intelligent bots help users with quick queries and enhance the overall user experience by providing immediate answers and guidance.
AR is making e-commerce websites interactive, allowing users to see how a product might look in their own space (like trying on clothes virtually or placing furniture in their living room). It enhances user interaction by showcasing products, conducting virtual tours, or even engaging in interactive storytelling.
With mobile devices accounting for a significant portion of web traffic, designing for mobile-first ensures that your website is fully optimised for smaller screens before scaling up to larger devices.
- Users expect fast load times, and slow websites lead to high bounce rates. Google uses page speed as a ranking factor.
- Consistency builds trust and makes the website feel professional.
- A responsive website ensures that your website adapts to any device or screen size, providing an optimal viewing experience.
CTAs guide users toward the actions you want them to take (e.g., signing up, making a purchase, contacting you).
Whether you prefer self-paced online learning or structured classroom instruction, there are many UI/UX design courses that can help you learn.
- The interaction design course offered at NID covers design principles, user research, prototyping, and usability testing. Through real-world projects and hands-on workshops, students gain invaluable industry insights.
- The programme offered by IIAD is one of the best UX design courses that prepares students with the right skills and knowledge to design intuitive and user-centred experiences. The program includes hands-on internships and collaborative projects, preparing students to tackle real-world challenges.
- This institute’s UI UX design course focuses on user-centred design through collaborative projects, design studios, and labs. It equips learners for roles in user research and interaction design.
- Provides a range of UI/UX design courses for various levels. Participants can learn user research, design thinking, wireframing, prototyping, Figma and more. They can also work on real-world projects to build their portfolio with a job guarantee.
- Offers courses from top universities like Stanford University and Google. The Google UX Design Certificate is a great place to start.
- Offers a variety of UI/UX design courses, from beginner to advanced levels, such as “UX & Web Design Master Course: Strategy, Design, Development.”
- A creative platform offering courses on specific tools like Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, and UX design theory.
When selecting a professional website design company, consider the following factors to ensure you’re working with the best:
When it comes to designing a website, both free and paid solutions are available. Choosing the right one depends on your needs, budget, and the complexity of the website you want to create.
Designing a website without spending any money is entirely possible, especially with the availability of various free website builders and tools. Here’s how to design a website for free:
The UI/UX design field has become massive, with businesses increasingly recognising the value of delivering exceptional user experiences. Let’s explore the UX designer salary in India in this growing field.
The salary of a UX designer in India can vary depending on experience, location, and the company you work for. Here’s a breakdown:
For freshers or those with 0-2 years of experience, salaries typically range from ₹3 to ₹6 lakhs annually.
With 2-5 years of experience, UX designers can expect salaries ranging from ₹6 to ₹10 lakhs annually, depending on their skills and the company’s location.
Senior UX designers with over 5 years of experience can earn between ₹10 lakhs and ₹20 lakhs per year. The salary can vary based on the complexity of the projects handled, leadership roles, and the company size.
UX/UI Managers who lead teams and are responsible for the entire UX design process in larger organisations can command salaries in the range of ₹15 lakhs to ₹30 lakhs per year.
Sources: Ambition Box, 6Figr, and Glassdoor
Designing a visually attractive and high-performing website may seem overwhelming, but focusing on the right areas can help you ease into the process. A thoughtfully designed website is a powerful medium for engaging users and driving business goals. Leverage the insights shared in this comprehensive article and build websites that captivate visitors and convert them into loyal customers.
- If you enjoyed reading this article, consider reading AI’s role in Vernacular Interior Design, an insightful and in-depth piece by author Sukanya Bhattacharjee.
- Ready to build a career in UI/UX design? Explore top design colleges in India offering the best UI/UX design courses in 2025.
- Whether you're launching a startup or scaling one, a UI/UX designer aware of the latest trends can transform user experience and boost growth. Learn about the latest UI UX trends.
- A skilled UI/UX designer can help you build intuitive products, improve engagement and drive success. Learn about the scope of UI/UX design in India.
About The Author
An independent architect and writer based in Bombay, Sukanya started as a practicing architect but soon discovered the vast potential for multifaceted roles within the AEC industry. This led her to explore a series of possibilities–from designin ... g and curating to researching and writing. Witnessing her designs come to life, critical thinking, and writing gave her a perspective both as a designer and a writer. With two years of independent work, she’s had the privilege of collaborating with publication houses, architectural studios, firms, organizations, and educational institutions. She advocates for mental health and is often found doing spoken word poetry.
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