Using Style Tiles to Choose a Design Direction

When designing a website or application, choosing a design direction can be a challenging task. One way to make this process easier is by using a design tool called Style Tiles. In this blog post, we will discuss the process of using Style Tiles to choose a design direction.

What are Style Tiles?

Style Tiles are a visual design tool that helps designers explore different design directions for a website or application. They are designed to provide a visual representation of the overall look and feel of a website or application, without getting bogged down in specific details such as layout or functionality.

The Process of Using Style Tiles

1. Gather inspiration: Before creating Style Tiles, gather inspiration from a variety of sources, such as other websites, design blogs, or design trends. Use this inspiration to create a mood board that includes colours, typography, and imagery that you want to incorporate into your design.
2. Create Style Tiles: Using the inspiration from your mood board, create several Style Tiles that explore different design directions. Each Style Tile should include colours, typography, and imagery that reflect the overall look and feel of the website or application.
3. Share Style Tiles with stakeholders: Share the Style Tiles with stakeholders, such as the client or project team, to get feedback on which direction they prefer. Be sure to explain the concept of Style Tiles and how they can be used to explore different design directions.
4. Iterate and refine: Use the feedback from stakeholders to iterate and refine the Style Tiles until a design direction is chosen. Be sure to keep in mind the goals and objectives of the project and the target audience when making decisions.
5. Use Style Tiles as a guide: Once a design direction has been chosen, use the Style Tiles as a guide for the rest of the design process. Use the colours, typography, and imagery from the Style Tiles to create a cohesive look and feel for the website or application.

Using Style Tiles can be a helpful tool when it comes to choosing a design direction for a website or application. It allows designers to explore different design directions and get feedback from stakeholders before committing to a specific design. By using Style Tiles, designers can create a cohesive look and feel for a website or application that meets the goals and objectives of the project and resonates with the target audience.

The step-by-step process of designing a ‘style tile’ for a website or application?

A style tile is a visual design tool that helps designers explore different design directions for a website or application. Here is a step-by-step process for designing a style tile:

1. Gather inspiration: Before creating a style tile, gather inspiration from a variety of sources, such as other websites, design blogs, or design trends. Use this inspiration to create a mood board that includes colours, typography, and imagery that you want to incorporate into your design.
2. Choose a design direction: Based on the inspiration gathered, choose a design direction that aligns with the goals and objectives of the project and the target audience.
3. Create a layout: Create a layout for your style tile using a design software, such as Adobe Illustrator or Sketch. This layout should include space for colours, typography, and imagery.
4. Add colours: Choose a colour palette that aligns with the design direction and add them to the style tile. Be sure to consider how the colours will work together and how they will be used on the website or application.
5. Add typography: Choose a typography style that aligns with the design direction and add it to the style tile. Be sure to consider how the typography will be used on the website or application and how it will be styled.
6. Add imagery: Add imagery that aligns with the design direction, such as background patterns or icons, to the style tile. Be sure to consider how the imagery will be used on the website or application.
7. Share with stakeholders: Share the style tile with stakeholders, such as the client or project team, to get feedback on the design direction. Be sure to explain the concept of style tiles and how they can be used to explore different design directions.
8. Iterate and refine: Use the feedback from stakeholders to iterate and refine the style tile until a design direction is chosen. Be sure to keep in mind the goals and objectives of the project and the target audience when making decisions.
9. Use it as a guide: Once a design direction has been chosen, use the style tile as a guide for the rest of the design process. Use the colours, typography, and…

Next Steps I after designing style tiles?

1. Create wireframes: After finalising the style tile, you can use it as a guide to create wireframes for the different pages and screens of your website or application. Wireframes are simplified versions of the layout that show the placement of elements such as text, images, and buttons.
2. Develop a prototype: Once the wireframes are complete, you can use them to create a functional prototype of your website or application. The prototype will give you a better understanding of how the final product will work and will also allow you to test the usability.
3. Design the final UI: Using the style tile and the wireframes, you can create the final design for the user interface of your website or application. This will include the design of individual UI elements such as buttons, forms, and navigation.
4. Develop the back-end: Once the UI design is complete, you can begin the development of the back-end of your website or application. This will include the programming of the server-side logic, database integration, and API development.
5. Develop the front-end: After the back-end is complete, you can begin the development of the front-end of your website or application. This will include the programming of the client-side logic and the integration of the design elements created in the style tile and wireframes.
6. Test and launch: Once the development is complete, you should test your website or application thoroughly to ensure that it is functioning correctly and that there are no bugs. Once the testing is complete, you can launch your website or application.

What tools can I use to design ‘Style Tiles’?

There are several tools that you can use to design style tiles, including:

1. Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator: These are powerful graphic design tools that allow you to create detailed and professional-looking style tiles.
2. Sketch: This is a popular design tool specifically built for web and mobile design, Sketch offers a wide range of features to create wireframes and style tiles.
3. InVision Studio: This is a powerful design tool that allows you to create interactive style tiles, which can be useful for testing different design variations.
4. Figma: This is a web-based design tool that allows for real-time collaboration on design projects. It is a great tool for creating style tiles and wireframes.
5. Adobe XD: Adobe Experience Design is a user experience design software developed by Adobe Systems. It can be used to create wireframes, interactive prototypes, and style tiles.
6. GIMP: This is a free and open-source image editing software that can be used to create style tiles, it has similar features to Photoshop.

Ultimately, the tool you choose will depend on your personal preference, familiarity with the software and the features you need to create the style tile.

Where can I get a template for designing ‘Style Tiles’?

There are several places where you can find templates for designing style tiles, including:

1. Online tutorials: Many design blogs and websites offer tutorials on how to create style tiles, and often include downloadable templates that you can use as a starting point.
2. Design resources websites: Websites like Behance, Dribbble, and Pinterest have a collection of design resources that you can use for inspiration, these resources can include style tile templates that you can download.
3. Template marketplaces: There are several online marketplaces that specialise in design templates, such as GraphicRiver, Creative Market, and Envato Elements, where you can find pre-designed style tile templates.
4. Design software: Some design software like Sketch, Adobe XD and Figma offer a library of pre-designed templates including style tile templates.
5. Search engines: Searching for “style tile templates” on search engines like Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo will give you a wide range of websites and resources that offer style tile templates for download.

Keep in mind that using a template can be a great starting point, but you will likely need to customise it to fit the specific needs of your project. And it’s always good to check the licence of the template before using it, especially if you’re planning to use it for a commercial project.