As digital design continues to evolve, it hints at creating future functional and immersive experiences that seamlessly fuse augmented reality, virtual reality, and 3D printing.
Rapidly evolving digital landscapes, Internet dominance, technological advances and software solutions are significantly influencing design trends. As a result, digital design has gained more momentum than print media. Today it is a harbinger of undeniable possibilities for user participation and participation. It refers to a creative design that enhances and simplifies interactivity when using a variety of digital interfaces with different screen sizes, such as desktops, laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, etc.
The way we do business has changed. As consumers prefer to interact through online channels, companies have had to focus on digital. It emphasizes the need to provide visual content and experience that can be ‘used interactively’ without being static.
Smartphone users in India are projected to reach 760 million this year, with the expected growth of Internet users reaching 974 million by 2025. It supports the indicative possibilities of digital design as a career option.
What sets digital design apart?
- Digital design lacks physical boundaries and is deliverable. These include interactive banner advertising, infographics, websites, UX wireframes, graphics and animation.
- It requires an in-depth understanding of typography, color, technology and operating software, digital platforms and formats to create high-performance and better resolution designs.
- Feedback is almost instantaneous through analytics metrics including likes, shares, downloads and page views. Designers must review and give feedback.
- Rapid cost means constant effort to retain interest and keep the design relevant and targeted.
Career opportunities in digital design
The hyper-connected world today substantially supports a career in this field. The versatility of digital design allows a student to work in industries such as gaming, animation, web design, television and video production, product design, social media, marketing, and the arts.
To excel, it is important to find the right course from a reputed institute like Indian Institute of Art and Design. They provide a curriculum that prepares and guides students to gain knowledge of communication design in order to gain proficiency in photography, videography, animation, graphic design and software skills such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Adobe XD, Sketch and Dreamweaver. They are equipped to train students with employable skills to translate ideas and concepts into an effective reality.
Students may choose to develop skills in the following areas:
- Creating web design, landing page design and interactive banner advertising to market a product or service.
- App design for different devices offering multiple functions like shopping, playing music etc. Create a branded app icon design to launch an app.
- Infographics to create shareable, animated and compelling content.
- Social media page design to create customized designs for different media.
- Design an e-reader with downloadable content across devices.
- Email design that engages readers and designs PowerPoint templates to support presentation requirements.
- Create a 3D design to show realistic images of a product or construction project for the purpose of exhibition.
Workplaces can range from design studios or agencies to marketing agencies or web development offices, home offices, co-working spaces to freelancers and digital migrants. Post-epidemic, remote work has gained popularity. Salary may also vary depending on the workplace, specialization, level of experience and location.
Digital designers are in high demand today and there are many avenues open for them. Much depends on their movable skills and what motivates them. Are they fascinated by visual aesthetics and like to work with color and typography? Or do they enjoy talking to clients, stakeholders, and users about their needs?
Students can aim to work in four main areas including UX, UI, product design, interaction design and beyond.
- User Experience (UX) Designer: Focuses specifically on the functionality and usability of a digital product.
- User Interface (UI) Designers: Focus on the visual elements of an interface related to the look and feel of a digital product. They work closely with UX Designer, enriching the digital interface with color, typography and size based on the foundations they have built, and supporting user behavior through accessibility and customization through product interactions.
- Digital Product Designer: Creates a responsive design using software. They move beyond the user experience and focus more on business and brand, reflecting on how the digital product will work, how much it will cost, and the wide range of products within the company context.
- Video Game Designer: Create a game content, gameplay, environment, story, characters and controls.
- Special Effects Designer: Create effects or animations for products, games, movies, music videos and ads.
- Digital Developer: Provides visual direction through the coding process.
As digital design continues to evolve, it hints at creating future functional and immersive experiences that seamlessly fuse augmented reality, virtual reality and 3D printing. This is the perfect moment for young students in visual communication design to embark on a technologically driven career that could become creators with the potential to influence the history of the digital world.