A good web design is about delivering the best user experience on any device. Agree that creating several design versions is often an irrational decision. So in order to reduce time to market and focus on important things while launching a project, developers practice responsive website design. It&rsquo;s a technology, which allows adjusting elements to various screen sizes and resolutions.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">What is Responsive Web Design?</h2>
In brief, responsive design is a special approach to the graphic user interface that is created to accommodate content smoothly to diverse gadgets. It significantly simplifies the work of designers because the creation of mobile and desktop design versions is not necessary.
The users&rsquo; requirements for web resources have enormously increased: without an attractive and user-friendly design, your project is going to die. Nowadays, mobile traffic exceeds desktop one more than twice. So, it&rsquo;s not enough to create a modern PC solution: designers and developers must provide the same experience for mobile users.
Within responsive website development, designers assign relative units (%) to the elements. As a result, the entire screen is filled with content. The solution responds to the user&rsquo;s actions and parameters of his device (the size of screen, platform, orientation, and the like).
<h2 dir="ltr">Why is Responsive Design so Important?</h2>
The 2010s were a turning point in the IT industry when numerous users acquired portable devices. And the number of gadgets is constantly growing from year to year. Designers and developers realized the irrationality of creating several design layouts for one project when it&rsquo;s possible to adapt an existing mockup to all screens and resolutions.
There are numerous reasons why you should implement a responsive design.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Providing the same user experience (total design uniformity and seamlessness).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Ability to use diverse CMSs and frameworks.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Rapid implementation (no need to make up two versions of the site).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
SEO-friendly option (SEO specialists can avoid using redirects to speeds up the loading of the site).
</li>
</ul>
Of course, the solution also has certain cons, which we cannot help mentioning.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Minimum control over screen sizes.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Shifting elements on their own.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Issues with adapting advertisement formats.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Longer load speed (high dependence on the quality of the written code).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Complicated front-end code. So, you should give a preference to a professional team to avoid failing your project.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">Helpful Tips for Responsive Design</h2>
We have figured out that responsive web design is about unanimity for all devices. So, the rules of its creation may be unclear. Below, we have listed a rundown of some pieces of advice.
Given the predominance of mobile traffic, the main emphasis should be made on the mobile website version. Tips we would like to highlight concerning this thesis:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Focus on the mobile version and then suit it to larger screens.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Don&rsquo;t forget that mobile users require bigger buttons (more than 40 px).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Mobile design must be twice as intuitive as desktop one because limited display space can be confusing.
</li>
</ul>
It is important to use Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs), which don&rsquo;t blur after significant scaling. Otherwise, you&rsquo;ll see pixels that negatively influence the user experience.
The priority should be minimalism. Within the framework of the concept, it is necessary to prioritize content and hide unimportant pieces. The feature of progressive disclosure is going to be useful.
Make sure that fonts and other parts of responsive web design are selected correctly. A good solution is about using contrast and background effectively. Some fonts can look awesome on a mobile screen and be inappropriate on the large screen of a PC.
The main thing while implementing a responsive design is to rely on experts because it is a big challenge to move from pixels and inches towards grids, use a viewport, responsive typography, and so on. When flexible grids are created with the help of CSS, the columns automatically rearrange themselves to fit the screen size or a window of your browser. It doesn&rsquo;t matter how big the user&rsquo;s display is.
<h2 dir="ltr">Examples of Responsive Web Design</h2>
Answering the question &ldquo;What is responsive web design?&rdquo;, we can&rsquo;t fail to cite a few instances. Let&rsquo;s take a look at some web resources.
<h3 dir="ltr">Dropbox</h3>
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/4416/content_dropbox-responsive-web-design.png" alt="" width="800" height="539" />
The service has applied fluid grids and flexible visuals to provide the audience with a tailored user experience. The background, images, buttons, and other elements accommodate the new screen parameters in no time.
Some design elements (an example is an arrow, which allows scrolling down) are hidden in the mobile version because scrolling is performed by using the touchscreen.
<h3 dir="ltr">Slack</h3>
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/4417/content_slack-responsive-web-design.png" alt="" width="800" height="563" />
The brand pursues the aim to be simple and human. So, their website completely fits the concept. The size and shape of your screen don&rsquo;t matter: you won&rsquo;t definitely suffer while consuming content.
<h3 dir="ltr">GitHub</h3>
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/4418/content_github-responsive-web-design.png" alt="" width="800" height="356" />
When shifting from a desktop to a mobile device, some elements disappear or change their arrangement. An instance is the signup form: in order to fill it out on your smartphone, you first should click on an appropriate button, which is absent on the PC. Concerning hiding elements on the responsive website: GitHub removed the search bar and menu on handheld gadgets.
<h3 dir="ltr">Dribbble</h3>
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/4419/content_dribble-responsive-web-design.png" alt="" width="800" height="334" />
Our favorite web resource, which we use to present design works. As GitHub, Dribble hid several items on mobile devices to prevent clutter. There are no shots attributed to their maker. In addition, you won&rsquo;t find the view, comment, and like counts beneath each post.
If you wish to get acquainted with our works on Dribbble, please open the following link: <a href="https://dribbble.com/agilie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://dribbble.com/agilie</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">Summary</h2>
Thus, implementing a responsive design is a preferable solution if you desire to launch a modern website, which would be relevant for decades to come. Previously, the vast majority of people visited sites using personal computers with similar screen parameters. Nowadays, there is a huge variety of different devices with displays ranging from a few inches all the way up to 27&Prime; or more. Despite that, users expect every website to be convenient and look the same.
Our team is ready not only to develop the conception of the future web resource but also to provide the full range of services for its implementation. We offer the Discovery stage, thought-out design, debugging, and so on. Just contact us in any convenient way. You can use the link to fill out a short form: <a href="https://agilie.com/contacts">agilie.com/contacts</a>
&nbsp;

By listing the pros and cons of responsive design, we have explained why it has become a trend.

Provide your customer with the best user experience by implementing a responsive design 

All About Responsive Design: Why Does It Matter?

Do you want to know more about mobile UX design principles? Learn about how to recognize major UX mistakes and follow key principles of UX right here. Don&rsquo;t make those UX mistakes on websites anymore!

Do you want to make great mobile UX design? Avoid major UX mistakes and make your creation outstanding ☝ Click here to learn about what UX design is and how to fix common UX mistakes on websites.

7 UX Mistakes That Kill Your Conversion Rate

Since the end of the year is close, it&#39;s time to consider key web design trends for 2019. Click here and read!

If you don't want your site or mobile app to be outdated, you need to follow new design trends ✅ This is the best way to stay relevant and therefore successful. Read our article and learn about top 10 web design trends 2019

Web Design Trends 2019: Stay One Step Ahead of Users Expectations

The app logo seems to be an insignificant detail, but this is it that catches the user's eye in the first place. So, its creation is a top priority task.

A beautiful and memorable app logo is already half the success. Did you know that the quality of the app logo depends on whether you will download the application? We know how to make a successful clickable app icon. Contact us!


How to Create a Successful App Logo?

This blogpost has been prepared with the assistance of our creative director <a href="https://dribbble.com/yyann">Alexander Demidov</a>, the great <a href="https://agilie.com/en/ux-services">UI/UX expert</a>.&nbsp;

Do you want your site to be always in a trend? Read our article to find out what web design trends will be popular in 2018

Top 10 Web Design Trends 2018: Keep Up with Users’ Needs!

Read our article that tells you all about the correct calculation of the average cost of app design.

How much does it cost to design an app? The question is really crucial - at least if you want your application to be profitable and successful. Of course, professional app design costs more, but it leads to better results 

How Much Does It Cost to Design an App?

<img style="margin: 5px; width: 800px; height: 288px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/375/content_bg_main.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://agilie.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://agilie.com/">Agilie</a>&nbsp;is pleased to announce that our two design projects&nbsp;<a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/53023699/Cinema-App" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/53023699/Cinema-App">Cinema App</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/52067341/Player-App" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/52067341/Player-App">Music Player</a>&nbsp;are currently being featured in the UI/UX category on Behance.
The designer behind the projects Alex Volk has three biggest passions: design, movies, and music. It proves that when you are really engaged in something, great things can happen. In this case, Alex managed to design two cool projects that were appreciated by the design community.
At the moment of writing the Cinema App has 6813 views and Music Player has reached 6258 views. Both projects were designed in minimalistic and laconic style.
Music Player
<img style="margin: 5px; width: 730px; height: 420px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/376/content_01.png" alt="" />
We all love music and listen to it everywhere. In the ocean of music players apps available on the App Store and Google Play, it&rsquo;s really hard to choose the one that is the most convenient in navigation, simple and at the same time beautiful in design. There are people who don&rsquo;t bother and choose the default players.
Alex wanted to create a design that won&rsquo;t distract a user from listening to music by giving a chance to fully immerse in the music atmosphere itself, style, and mood of the app. The main concept behind the music player app was to make the navigation predictable and intuitive for the user persona.
If the user swipes left, the menu with the following actions reveals:
<ul>
<li id="135a" style="text-align: justify;">Shuffle</li>
<li id="e911" style="text-align: justify;">Repeat playing track</li>
<li id="a799" style="text-align: justify;">Like</li>
<li id="c6ab" style="text-align: justify;">Volume</li>
</ul>
<img style="margin: 5px; width: 730px; height: 500px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/377/content_02.png" alt="" />
Beauty is in simplicity, right?
Cinema App
On March 2017 our design team went to the &ldquo;Logan&rdquo; premiere. We&rsquo;ve been waiting for this movie for a long time so decided to get prepared in advance by booking and buying tickets online.
At first, we noticed that apart from poor design many cinema apps are overloaded with unnecessary features, like galleries of large screenshots, long lines of comments, or sections with &ldquo;Coming Soon&rdquo;. That seemed strange because such kind of app should be simple in usage and serve as a quick method of buying tickets to the cinema. At a time when we are overwhelmed with information &mdash; simplicity and convenience are the keys to quickly grab user&rsquo;s attention.
Our design team thought why not creating a visually appealing cinema app concept where a user is able to quickly book tickets to the nearest cinema with easy navigation.
<div id="insert-form-here" style="text-align: justify;"></div>
Following the principle&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieter_Rams" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieter_Rams">&ldquo;Do less, but better&rdquo;</a>, we started to design our own concept of cinema app. At Agilie we a have a big design department and we always cooperate with team members to achieve better results. We had several ideas on how it should look like and what colors would be the best fit. Alex Volk was inspired by the latest trends in mobile design, in particular, more calm and minimalistic color patterns. He wanted to create a design with a more clear and user-friendly interface that will make the booking process simpler and more attractive for a user&rsquo;s eye. Adhering to the rules of a good UX, we strove to design an efficient and intuitive concept with a consistent interface. We were focused on improving the interaction between the user and the app with the help of:
<ul>
<li id="97ec" style="text-align: justify;">Displaying only the main information (current movies)</li>
<li id="73b4" style="text-align: justify;">Placing a bottom navigation</li>
<li id="1d89" style="text-align: justify;">Introducing a minimalistic and laconic design</li>
</ul>
<img style="margin: 5px; width: 730px; height: 420px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/378/content_03.png" alt="" />
Cinema app consists of two screens: the one with a horizontal scroll of the current movies and another depicting the process of buying tickets. We didn&rsquo;t hide all control elements to the menu but set them to the bottom navigation in order to make easier to reach it with one finger.
By the way, the originality of city icons is due to Alex architecture background:)
<img style="margin: 5px; width: 730px; height: 420px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/379/content_04.png" alt="" />
We used Sketch to work through the both concepts, which made the design work smoother, quicker, and easier than using other programs. It took 10 days to design the Cinema App and 12 days to create the Music Player concept.
We would like to thank the Behance community for featuring Agilie projects in the UI/UX category. We will continue working on new designs and creating new and awesome projects.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Our two design projects&nbsp;<a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/53023699/Cinema-App" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/53023699/Cinema-App">Cinema App</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/52067341/Player-App" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/52067341/Player-App">Music Player</a>&nbsp;are currently being featured in the UI/UX category on Behance.

Agilie Cinema App and Music Player Featured on Behance

The Behance Featured Cinema App and Music Player by Agilie

One often has to design image galleries when creating sites. Therefore, we believe our template called Bouncing carousel will be useful in your web development practice.
We're happy to share with you this template designed for websites and aimed to help you create spectacular image galleries.
Read all the details below.
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">What is Bouncing carousel?</h2>
This image gallery is a carousel of visual objects partially hidden behind the bottom "ribbon". Visually, the desktop version creates an effect similar to the "pocket". And if you want to see the entire object, hover the mouse cursor over it: the element will come to the forefront, approaching the viewer. You can see how it works <a href="https://agilie.github.io/Bouncing-Carousel/">here</a>.
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">How to use?</h2>
Use this template whenever you want to create a vivid and memorable image gallery.
Bouncing carousel is a perfect choice for the e-commerce focused websites. For example, &nbsp;you can design the online store catalog of products using this unusual gallery. Such a presentation of visual content will attract attention and improve chances of turning a user from a potential customer into a real buyer.
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Details</h2>
The&nbsp;Bouncing carousel is an experiment with SVG animations technology inspired by <a href="https://dribbble.com/shots/2637299-Carousel">Carousel</a>.
The animation used in this carousel is based on <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/SVG/SVG_animation_with_SMIL">Animation SMIL</a> specification. All the SVG elements can be stylized using CSS, you can also create animations through CSS, but some of the properties in SVG greatly enhance its capabilities. For example, the "path" attribute has a data set that defines the object's path, and this data can not be changed through CSS.
In the bouncing carousel, we use the &lt;animate&gt; tag which allows animating SVG without using a cumbersome JS-code, but only by :hover pseudoclass on the carousel element.
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Image Format</h2>
The optimal image formats for this gallery are gif and png. Due to supporting transparency, they allow the carousel objects to look the most effective.
You can find more information <a href="https://github.com/agilie/Bouncing-Carousel">here</a>.
&nbsp;

We're happy to share with you our new template called Bouncing carousel and&nbsp;aimed to help you create spectacular image galleries.

Our new template called Bouncing carousel​ and aimed to help you create spectacular image galleries.

A New Template for Creating Image Galleries

Here, we have described the web design trends of 2017. Read about the <a href="https://agilie.com/blog/top-10-web-design-trends-2018-keep-up-with-users-needs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Top Web design trends in 2018</a> and move with the times!
...
To keep up with users&rsquo; constantly changing needs and preferences, the design elements of existing websites should be updated regularly and created based on fresh trends. So the question is: &ldquo;What are the current web design trends and how to take advantage of them now to stay afloat in the future?&rdquo; In our previous article, we talked about&nbsp;<a href="https://agilie.com/blog/top-mobile-design-trends-2017" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mobile App Design Trends</a>.
We encourage you to keep reading our newest blog post, in which we&rsquo;ve picked the X recent web design trends that can help to improve your brand awareness and business.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Trend #1: Geometry</h2>
From&nbsp;squares and rectangles to triangles and hexagons, geometric patterns, shapes, and lines are taking web design to a higher level. Geometric forms are associated with modernism. Nowadays, when most designs strive for clarity and simplicity, the laconic forms of geometric shapes are extremely suitable for the wise placement of content and images as they don&rsquo;t overload the layout and make websites and apps look better-structured and organized.
If&nbsp;you are looking for inspiration of how geometric shapes can be applied, take a look at some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.awwwards.com/50-awesome-websites-with-extraordinary-geometry-elements.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">awesome examples</a> as well as find out what&nbsp;<a href="https://www.awwwards.com/web-design-trends-for-2017.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">patterns and techniques</a> are the hottest across the web.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/3819/content_content_content_geometry_2.jpg" alt="Top Web design trends 2018" width="800" height="600" />
&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Trend #2: Illustrations</h2>
Today designers are actively using illustrations to get unique images instead of stock photos. They strive to create special illustrations or icons adjusted to each customer. In 2017, hand-drawn illustrations will likely to be in-demand and here is why:
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Illustrations&nbsp;can help appeal directly to the users&rsquo; imagination and allow strengthening their personal connection with a website.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Utilizing illustrations give more control over the content of the image and its details.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">As a rule, illustrations can be a cost-effective method, as it is cheaper than organizing a photoshoot and it can also give you capacity for your creativity and individuality.</li>
</ul>
The&nbsp;reason most designers gradually abandon the use of stock images is that nobody wants his/her work to look like a clich&eacute;. The same goes for brands that struggle to stand out from competitors. The constant use of stock images can reduce the brand&rsquo;s originality as well as cause a risk that some elements can be seen in the works of other designers.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/3820/content_content_content_illustration.jpg" alt="Top Web design trends" width="800" height="600" />
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/609/content_content_illustration_2-min.gif" alt="Top design trends in 2018" />
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Trend #3: Animations</h2>
Another&nbsp;popular trend is animation. Animated elements are broadly applied in various websites as they can quickly attract visitors&rsquo; attention. The idea of using animation in web design is not new, however, in 2017 this trend continues to gain its momentum. Furthermore, given the increased number of professional tools for creating animation, we can suppose that motion graphics will become more attractive and exquisite.
The&nbsp;animation is an extremely useful tool in web design unless it is used solely for decorative purposes. Today designers create animations using JavaScript and CSS, which helps to add moving elements on the website without overloading it. More importantly, animations are now used to improve website usability rather than just for fun. Animation is a great tool that makes websites better and easier to use.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/610/content_content_animation-min.gif" alt="Web design trends in 2018" width="800" height="600" />
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Trend #4: Microinteractions</h2>
Every&nbsp;day we perform hundreds of extremely simple actions like pressing the elevator button or &ldquo;like&rdquo; someone&rsquo;s post on Facebook or Instagram. We do this consciously, almost automatically, not thinking about the sequence of our actions. We used to call it microinteractions.&nbsp;<a href="http://microinteractions.com/what-is-a-microinteraction/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Microinteractions are contained product moments that revolve around a single use case</a>. They are details that happen when we perform a certain number of tasks. In other words, microinteractions help websites and apps feel little more human by offering the user acknowledgment.
Despite&nbsp;all the simplicity and evidence of certain virtual acts, the web design microinteractions can be decisive. We send exchange messages, like someone&rsquo;s food on Instagram or share important messages on Facebook. Appropriate design of such interactions allows working with website intuitively, while inappropriate can lead to user&rsquo;s disappointment due to the obvious quirkiness and poor functionality of the Internet resource.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/611/content_content_micro-min.gif" alt="Top design trends 2018" width="800" height="600" />
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/612/content_content_micro_2-min.gif" alt="Web design trends" width="800" height="600" />
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Trend #5: Bright and Saturated Designs</h2>
Minimalism&nbsp;is stepping back in 2017 and we expect to see more brands turning to bright and saturated colors. Different colors and gradients can help the user to better distinguish the content on your website. With the right chosen colors, you can significantly improve your website conversions.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.colorcom.com/research/why-color-matters" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">According to Colorcom</a>, when making purchasing decisions, more than 92% of people base their decision on visual factors, mainly colors.
In&nbsp;fact, what seemed to be a trifle can significantly improve your website conversion, thus leading to higher brand visibility. A&nbsp;<a href="https://moz.com/ugc/case-study-how-using-color-psychology-improved-our-website" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">recent MOZ case study</a> proved that changing the color of a button text from green to yellow resulted in 187.4% increase in website conversions!
A&nbsp;good example of the color combo is duotone. Duotone is a combination of the color spectrum of two colors. It can be shades of two colors or completely opposite tones. In web design, the duotone is often used as a color stabilizer and can help create a dominant image as well as increase readability of the text by giving more space and contrast.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/613/content_content_bright_colors-min.gif" alt="Top design trends" />
<img style="margin: 5px; width: 800px; height: 600px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/332/content_bright_colors_3.gif" alt="" />
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Trend #6: Cinemagraphs</h2>
The popularity of&nbsp;<a href="http://cinemagraphs.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">cinemagraphs</a> is growing by leaps and bonds. Cinemagraphs are characterized as photos with elements of a video that make websites look more stylish and engaging. Cinemagraphs are eye-catching and can easily appeal to users. The main reason to use cinemagraphs on your website is that they help to better communicate with visitors as well as breathe life into your website or app by giving a degree of depth with movements on a high-quality photo.
<h2 dir="ltr">Trend #7: Video</h2>
Video is the next trend that will continue booming in 2017. Use video to create better communication with your user and personalize your brand. Moving from static to dynamic elements,&nbsp;video is gaining its popularity and is becoming one of the key elements in modern web design trends. What used to be a large-format photo on the background is now becoming a wide-screen video. &nbsp;
Video plays an essential part when creating a website or an app and here&rsquo;s why:
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">EyeView suggests that video on a landing page can increase conversion up to 80%.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">According to&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing-statistics#sm.0001folpmqr97de5ukq1cnpp226my" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Hubspot</a>, by 2018, a video will be 79% of all consumer internet traffic.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Adding video on your homepage can increase conversion up to 20%.</li>
</ul>
Advanced technologies allow to use the better resolution and reduce download time. Therefore, in 2017 more videos will be used in web design. Video is already used as a background on the websites, thus increasing time spent on the web page. With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.awwwards.com/websites/video/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">video being one of the most powerful tools in visual communication</a>, the static background looks a bit boring and old-fashioned.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/614/content_content_video_2-min.gif" alt="Web design" />
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/616/content_content_video_3-min.gif" alt="Web design trends" />
&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Trend #8: Typography</h2>
If the text on your web page is going to be long, make sure that it is readable as well as pleasant to readers&rsquo; eyes.
Typography is body language. Very often the role of typography in design is underestimated and more attention is paid to illustrations, photos or other graphic elements. Good typography can lead to a significant improvement of UI and UX. The designer is responsible for organizing words and letters in a way to convey a message that will evoke emotion and set a tone. In most cases, typography is about visual effect rather than text. Well-Structured typography can greatly support your overall design.
If you are looking for ideas or inspiration for using typography on your website, check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.typewolf.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Typewolf</a> or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nurturedigital.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Nurture Digital</a>. These are great sources where you can delve deeper into digital typography.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/619/content_content_landpage-min.gif" alt="Web trends in 2018" width="800" height="351" />
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/617/content_content_typo_2-min.gif" alt="Web design" width="800" height="600" />
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Trend #9: Scrolling</h2>
There were times when designers criticized scrolling (whether it&rsquo;s vertical or horizontal). However, in the era when&nbsp;<a href="http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Presentations-and-Whitepapers/2014/The-US-Mobile-App-Report" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">mobile is becoming the leading digital platform</a>, the action of sliding content across monitor or display is gaining its popularity and becoming one of the key elements in the list of the latest web design trends. Scrolling allows you to easily navigate through web pages while eliminating the need for additional clicks. In general, scrolling changes the approach to web design, focusing more on the user's&rsquo; needs. Long scrolling websites are very adaptable and they encourage users to stay longer on the web page.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/618/content_content_scrolling_2-min.gif" alt="trends in 2018" width="800" height="600" />
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Trend #10: Emphasis on Landing Page</h2>
A famous actor Will Rogers once said: &ldquo;You will never get a second chance to make a first impression&rdquo;. Think of your company&rsquo;s website as a crucial step in establishing a good connection with your potential visitor, customer or user. The aim of a landing page is to capture visitors&rsquo; attention and turn them into potential leads. Every business craves for having a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2015/01/15-landing-pages-with-outstanding-ux/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">creative and a unique landing page</a> in a way to introduce the product&rsquo;s features and benefits in a good light.
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/619/content_content_landpage-min.gif" alt="Top design trends USA" width="800" height="351" />
<img src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/ckeditor_assets/pictures/620/content_content_landpage_2-min.gif" alt="Top Web design trends in 2018 USA" />
The good designer aims to create a product that will work on multiple devices and attract a global audience. Keep in mind that responsive design can change the way brands interact with consumers.
There is a logical development towards service design and visual trends replace one another. Interfaces are moving away from the &ldquo;picture&rdquo; to &ldquo;interaction&rdquo; and for this reason, motion design in terms of the amount of information delivered to the user is almost equal to graphic design. There is a continuous standardization of UI design. The quality of mock-ups, ready-made animation scripts, color palettes has grown significantly. It helps designers to create a harmonious and effective interface, spending a minimum of resources to develop a visual style.
At Agilie, we pay close attention to the constantly changing trends in graphic and web design that allow us to be at the forefront of&nbsp;<a href="/expertise/technology/web-development" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">web development</a>. You may ask why it&rsquo;s so important for you to know those trends if you are not a designer or a web developer? Well, it&rsquo;s not a secret that for business to be successful, an online presence is equally important as the offline. With the website being your business card, it is important to know how to attract more customers through visual content.
&nbsp;
Ready to start applying those new web design trends,&nbsp;<a href="https://agilie.com/contacts" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">contact</a> our team!
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>

We encourage you to keep reading our newest blog post, in which we&rsquo;ve picked the X recent web design trends.

Web Design Trends 2017: How to Be up to Date

What is the discovery phase, and why do you need it? Read our article to find out the answers!

You’re planning to create a website or application and want it to make you profit as soon as possible, right? In this case, you cannot do without the discovery phase in software development ⚡ But what is the discovery phase of a project, and how to implement it in practice? Read our article to find out the answers ✅

Why You Need to Start Your Project with the Discovery Phase

On-demand app development has become very popular. Even now every fifth person in the UK orders food delivery at least once a week.

Do you want to build an on-demand app like Postmates and Zomato? Then our article will be useful for you ☝ Read it to find out how to create a food delivery app and make it profitable. Click here ➽

How to build a food delivery on-demand app like Postmates and Zomato

SDLC is a process that consists of a detailed plan that describes all the details regarding the development, maintenance, and replacement/change of specific software. It is a methodology used to improve the quality of software as well as improve the overall development process.
System/Software Development Life Cycle, SDLC - represents several stages (or phases) that any software goes through. In essence, it is a detailed plan showing how to develop software, maintain it, change it, and improve it.&nbsp;
<h2>What Is the Software Development Life Cycle?</h2>
To quote the author of the book Managing Information Technology Projects, James Taylor, "the life cycle of a project covers all the activities of a project." The task of software development is to fulfill the requirements of the product. If you want to learn how to create and release a high-quality software project, you have to follow a plan. According to Taylor, your goal should be a comprehensive analysis of the activities of the project and control of each stage of its development. The right framework will help direct your workflow in the right direction.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Common Phases of the SDLC</h2>
In general, SDLC is such a closed loop, in which each stage affects the actions in the subsequent ones and provides promising indications for the future. To answer specific questions and ensure consistency in your development process, there are 7 steps to trying to influence each other effectively and consistently.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8e8GssUmmj8ZCnv3BRVJHt_FSGKiNRaPk2owJ4XPWhvIQkc4xVql5vTKafhxi-jf7UbuygqPECWKQUyUdtR_xdZ_JcS2G_dBJxcrCd6zWGhpl5kyyWCm3DxK_ezx7IC9nBmty2TUMr8VGIrUxwGxPWU" width="602" height="512" />
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Planning phase</h3>
Planning includes the question "What do we want?". At this stage, the team determines the requirements for the new software and also analyzes the costs.
Also, it details risks and provides sub-plans to mitigate those risks. In this step, a software requirements specification document is created. Planning related to quality assurance and related risks is also carried out in the early stages. Various technical approaches are explored and used for the successful implementation of the project.
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Requirement definition</h3>
The next step is to define the requirements for the product clearly. Approval is taken from the client or by market analysis. All of this is usually done through the SRS (Software Requirements Specification) document, which contains all the requirements of the project and is designed and developed during the life cycle of the project.&nbsp;
The definition phase of the SDLC is the point where you take all the approved requirements and document them. (Documentation will be a constant, iterative phase of the SDLC. You must document everything you do so you know what you did, how you did it, and when you did it.) This helps your team make sure they are on the right track before they start working on a project.
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Design and Prototyping</h3>
By this stage, you should already know the product requirements and generally understand what you want, and before you start writing code, this understanding should be enough to answer the following question: &ldquo;How will we achieve our goals?&rdquo; In other words, you need to understand what you are optimizing and design accordingly. Operation, training, and maintenance plans will all be drawn up so that developers know what they need to do throughout the next stages.
Let's say you want to create a secure, high-performance, efficient, and load-bearing application. Which of these four principles is most important to you? Why? Do the stakeholders from the first stage agree with this? It is important to ensure the approval of all participants.
After the design phase, you can make changes in terms of time, resources spent will steadily increase, as well as all sorts of small factors will gradually accumulate. In this phase, it is recommended to consider several key design elements to make final design decisions: operational excellence, safety, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization.
<h3 dir="ltr">4. Rapid Software Development</h3>
During the Rapid Software Development phase, you want to produce results, or more specifically, you need to be prone to action and create a prototype or system that others can test. At this stage, your task is to gain the trust of stakeholders by embodying the developer's mindset. It is critical to follow the first three steps when starting development to meet expectations.
<h3 dir="ltr">5. Testing and quality assurance</h3>
The next step in the software development lifecycle is to check "have we got what we want?" or the testing phase. At this stage, you check for defects and deficiencies. The systems integration test function is to ensure that the developed systems meet all the technical requirements. Later, after discovery, you try to resolve all issues until the product meets current specifications.
<h3 dir="ltr">6. Deployment</h3>
Take your product and use it. Invite stakeholders from the first stage to use your product in natural conditions, and start tracking sales engagement. You have to listen to your user because feedback through surveys and recommendations will help you return to the first phase and start collecting new requirements. During this phase, training is conducted and the software app is deployed at pilot websites, initially followed by a complete rollout.
<h3 dir="ltr">7. Operations and Maintenance</h3>
The maintenance phase of the SDLC starts after the product is in full operation. Maintenance can include software upgrades, repairs, and fixing of the software if it breaks.
Applications often need to be upgraded or integrated with new systems the customer deploys. It is necessary to provide additional testing of the software or version upgrades. During the maintenance phase, errors or defects may occur, so it would require repairs during additional testing of the software. The performance of the software is also included during the maintenance phase.
<h2 dir="ltr">SDLC Models &amp; Methodologies</h2>
SDLC is often associated with development methodologies in the production environment. There are many of them. The appropriate one is selected based on the scale of the project, the nature of the requirements for the finished product, the stability of the technologies used, and the availability of the necessary resources, taking into account a number of other factors.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/8Ygfdo1YyPPY3oet8CZRLq8rYjGKr75exPm92Q1j42UU2TaCgY6HBtiakn8IqZY3oUnW4X3yALiOxQCathaIbRfeZrIOaXKuPI_hGXH4d4F75zpXcuijzT3GCD3VnzvKrDth-lrustVBE7_PD5KeH7M" width="602" height="391" />
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Waterfall</h3>
The waterfall model is about the phenomenon of how to complete one phase before the start of a new phase of development so that there is no overlap of phases. In the field of software development, the waterfall model was first used as an SDLC approach. This model means that every phase is designed to perform certain actions in the SDLC.
<h3 dir="ltr">Agile</h3>
Agile software development is an agile approach to software development that is often used in small teams and large organizations. Agile work process is divided into iterations - short cycles of two to three weeks. Each cycle solves a series of tasks. At the end of each iteration, the team analyzes the results and reprioritizes for the next iteration. As a result, for each cycle, a mini-product or a separate part is created, ready for independent launch.
<h3 dir="ltr">Iterative</h3>
The iterative model is the epitome of repetition. Instead of starting with fully known requirements, project teams implement a set of software requirements, then test, evaluate, and define further requirements. At each stage or iteration, a new version of the software is created. Rinse and repeat until the entire system is ready.
The advantages of the iterative model over other common SDLC methodologies are that it creates a working version of the project early in the process and reduces the cost of implementing changes. One downside: repetitive processes can quickly consume resources.
<h3 dir="ltr">DevOps</h3>
The DevOps methodology is a relative newcomer to the SDLC scene. It emerged from two trends: the application of Agile and Lean practices to operations and a general shift in business towards understanding the value of collaboration between developers and operations personnel at all stages of the SDLC process. In the DevOps model, development and management teams work closely together, and sometimes as a team, to accelerate innovation and roll out better, more reliable software products and features. Product updates are small but frequent. Discipline, continuous feedback and process improvement, and manual automation of development processes are all hallmarks of the DevOps model.
<h3 dir="ltr">Other Models</h3>
The following models are currently in use:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
V-model. Based on the Waterfall. This SDLC model implies quality control at each stage. Suitable for projects where errors can be fatal, where accuracy in meeting requirements is critical.
</li>
</ul>
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/tWzf9Artu_h2JMAV7TSawlJkdjwwMjqBOZj5WImu9pRd3zHHhevGgS0MPTPeWPZcBSe-D65OKFq9sR1DdCjwkroAJVvYl42CXzYgg-g6wCpiyauECTSj50YqM_fPaWBpKqLnZ85XVmV6xPpth9g8jN0" width="602" height="512" />
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
The evolutionary prototyping model. Again, the basis is a Waterfall. The necessary improvements to the project are immediately made based on the feedback of the client (customer). Several prototypes are created, one of which is eventually finalized and sent into production.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Spiral. Includes the features of the previous ones. Used for complex, large projects with frequent releases, suitable for software with unclear requirements. <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_fLd-nxQtD_qoqMyjfsnbRn-S10kFhzPNRXdq7rvmVksvoz9hUJOhIlFTk1Dm36sso-yWNaKSYEPF2OYARgev3MMjdGjVtk8C9M6nGi_XN7tvEUyMN-tZ1fjZbrRT_BFZElChbK4rwuXqJ5z2UX4svQ" width="602" height="512" />
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Flexible methodologies. There are more than 50 of them. And many, again, may include the features discussed above.
</li>
</ul>
Considering that many models used in the development life cycle contain elements of the Waterfall model, it is advisable to take it as a basis when considering security issues.
<h2 dir="ltr">Benefits of SDLC</h2>
In the first, second, and third stages, business requirements for the product are formed, the wishes and needs of users are taken into account, and the boundaries of the project are determined. Specialists from various fields are involved in the work (marketing, sales, support, and so on). As a result of all these efforts, answers to the questions should appear: &ldquo;What problems should the software solve?&rdquo;, &ldquo;What exactly (what product) needs to be done?&rdquo;
At the same time, security issues should also be considered at this stage, in particular with regard to identification, authentication, registration of information security events, protection of IS incidents, and control of the completeness, accuracy, and correctness of the processed data. This is done through threat assessment, attack surface analysis, security requirements definition, and risk analysis.
From the SDLC development stage to application testing, security is ensured by:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
applying secure programming practices,
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
conducting autotests,
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
dynamic code analysis,
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
organization of pentests,
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
functional testing,
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
protocol testing,
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
monitoring, and incident response (after deployment, during operations).
</li>
</ul>
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/41enuW74xkOcyjyPu6ZFgsTSwV3O3dKo_gTsGhlPLoRI-zKX1iDMDPZIc2WQ_886BORxKkS0idNxmUReQwQnAYi1QJ9KL8BnqlBQARNbwNhmB4UZkpRxTzYi3CcsQ6B8hpNOBlfiGOB0UNAF7JcJVjs" width="602" height="601" />
Also, a fairly common tool for ensuring secure software development, which can be used at all stages (starting from the fourth in this case), is static application analysis (SAST). It comes down to code analysis without the need to run the program, which means it is guaranteed to be suitable for development, testing, deployment, and operations.
Static code analysis is implemented using a special tool - SAST analyzer. This technology allows:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Detect vulnerabilities. And not only in the "own" files of the app but also in libraries and third-party components that are used during development.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Find undeclared capabilities (NDV) in software.
</li>
</ul>
Software Configuration Management (SCM) is a process to systematically manage, organize, and control the changes in documents, code, and other entities during the Software Development Life Cycle. The primary goal is to increase productivity with minimal mistakes.
With the addition of security measures to each stage, we can talk about the transformation of SDLC into SSDLC. This is the Secure Software development lifecycle. This approach is becoming more and more popular because implementing security measures throughout all stages of the life cycle is good practice that saves a lot of time.
<h2 dir="ltr">FAQs</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">What is Agile SDLC?</h3>
The Agile SDLC model is a combination of iterative and incremental process models with a focus on process agility and customer satisfaction through the rapid delivery of a working software product. Agile Methods breaks down a product into small incremental builds. These builds are provided in iterations. Each iteration typically lasts one to three weeks. Each iteration includes cross-functional teams working simultaneously in different areas, such as:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
planning
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
requirements analysis
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
design
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
coding
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
unit testing and
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
acceptance testing.
</li>
</ul>
At the end of the iteration, the work product is displayed to the client and important stakeholders.
<h3 dir="ltr">Why is the Discovery stage an important phase of SDLC?&nbsp;</h3>
Discovery occurs at the pre-sale stage when the project has not yet been taken into work. Emphasis on analysis, evaluation, project planning, and preparation of a technical and commercial proposal to the client. According to the results of this type, it is possible that the client will refuse the project altogether (since the received terms and cost will not satisfy him) or decide to compare your estimate with the cost estimates of other contractors.
<h4 dir="ltr">1. How does it affect the planning of SDLC?&nbsp;</h4>
It can help overcome the lack of understanding of the target audience, inability to beat the competition, and product mistiming, increasing the degree of the product&rsquo;s success.&nbsp; Mistakes made at the initial stage of the development process are the most difficult to correct in the future. That&rsquo;s why the goal of the Discovery phase is to prevent fatal errors.&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">2. Does it help to define the requirements?&nbsp;</h4>
The Discovery phase is the stage in which the process of collecting and analyzing data is carried out to determine the goals, potential, and limitations of the project. This stage focuses on planning, launching new products, or improving existing solutions. The role of the Discovery phase is to eliminate unforeseen circumstances so that projects are implemented on time and within budget, and customers receive the expected financial result.
<h4 dir="ltr">3. Could UX wireframes confirm the business idea?&nbsp;</h4>
A wireframe is the first-phase version of a site that helps to adjust design plans and confirm the business ideas, so changing your plans becomes easier.
<h4 dir="ltr">4. Does technical research save development time in the future?</h4>
Technical research is important for businesses, as it provides knowledge and insights that leads to improvements to existing processes where efficiency can be increased and costs reduced.
<h3 dir="ltr">Instruments for effective work in SDLC</h3>
<ol>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Atlassian products like Jira &amp; Confluence
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Meeting &amp; notes&nbsp;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Delivery reporting &amp; planning&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>
These tools are very flexible and can be used by teams that are involved both in Agile and Waterfall methodologies. They are customizable and can track all sorts of work in the SDDL, including initiatives, epics, stories, and tasks, as well as other issues specific to the team.
<h3 dir="ltr">Why is SDLC important?</h3>
SDLC provides an effective framework and method to develop software apps. It involves effectively planning before starting the actual development. Developers with the help of SDLC can analyze the requirements. Unnecessary costs during development are reduced.
<h3 dir="ltr">Who is involved in SDLC?</h3>
The three main roles in the SDLC are product owner, project manager, who is team representative, and team lead, who focuses on technical implementation. And, of course, developers, testers, designers, and management team
<h3 dir="ltr">What is the most important phase of SDLC?</h3>
All SDLC phases are valued equally. But, many software developers suggest that the requirement definition and analysis stage is the most important aspect of SDLC. This is when the team begins to understand what the stakeholders expect from the project.

SDLC is a process that consists of a detailed plan that describes all the details regarding the development, maintenance, and replacement/change of specific software. It is a methodology used to improve the quality of software as well as improve the overall development process.

SDLC, or Software Development Life Cycle, are the steps to create software applications. The development process is divided into tasks that then are assigned, completed, and measured.

What is SDLC? Phases of Software Development & Models

If you own an IT business, you probably know how difficult it is and how long it takes to recruit in-house IT specialists. Especially those with a Middle or Senior level of expertise or some with very rare tech skills. This could become a real nightmare if your project needs experts just right now.
What to do in such a case?&nbsp;
The smartest move you can take is to opt for a staff augmentation model that helps expand your team for a specific project extremely fast. Still don&rsquo;t know what this helpful model is? In this article, we will explain to you what staff augmentation really is, when it is best to use it, as well as give you all the cons of this model.&nbsp;
But let&rsquo;s start with some basics.
<h2 dir="ltr">What is Staff Augmentation?</h2>
When you first hear about IT staff augmentation services, many people would immediately think of an augmented human from a modern cyberpunk movie. Are you one of them? That is understandable.&nbsp;
In reality, IT staff augmentation is not about it at all. The word augment itself means to make something larger &mdash; in size, number, strength, etc. Augmented in the IT sphere means a bigger team. But having bigger teams doesn&rsquo;t mean becoming more effective. It can sometimes be quite the opposite, as bigger teams are quite difficult to manage. Staff augmentation can help you enlarge your team while ensuring that this staffing remains efficient.&nbsp;&nbsp;
To put it simply, staff augmentation is an outsourcing hiring strategy where a business temporarily hires one or several outsourcing IT experts for a certain project.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_g_TsURmUp9KT3LHEsPPSSAq5VjLNC9oQ3XknlsRBwzPEU0Q3P7vkGq2AdZwN-HmOqQ6qZX1ya2RxKE3ds1iD2_VSKkAOFjkPyw-JTm8LM0x6Tmrb7muXFf_q6MxQcz9udtaFkyAv6CRrd6tqvjKaxydBZqGCbW0SL14P0cXy9UMXYSxSpz4X9s0BQ" width="602" height="421" />
Wait, so is it that simple? And you won&rsquo;t need to pay for time-consuming recruiting or consulting services?&nbsp;
Yep, you can find numerous staff augmentation providers that will do the job instead of you and hire excellent temporary engineers for your project very fast. Besides, skilled talent is hired to cover only the necessary positions temporarily, permanently, or on-demand. The hires are added to the in-house team and collaborate with them on a specific project which enhances the capacity of your team and organization.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Why is staff augmentation so popular?&nbsp;</h3>
Staff augmentation has become a widely used practice worldwide with <a href="https://www2.staffingindustry.com/site/Research/Research-Reports/Americas/Global-Staffing-Forecast-May-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$490 billion</a> of revenue annually. One of the main sources for staff augmentation is freelancing, which has become very popular recently due to the rise of numerous freelance platforms. Just imagine, in the US solely, about <a href="https://www2.staffingindustry.com/site_member/Research/Research-Reports/Americas/The-US-Gig-Economy-2019-Edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">34% of workers</a> are freelancers, and this number grows each year.&nbsp;&nbsp;
But why has staff augmentation become so popular?&nbsp;
It is obvious. Many companies today choose IT staff augmentation for a bunch of situations, including talent shortage, high cost of IT professionals, and many more. This model helps businesses minimize operational costs while skyrocketing their efficiency. It also helps quickly scale your IT department once you need it and add more employees to keep up with the demand.&nbsp;
Staff augmentation can, undoubtedly, help you enhance both the quality and speed of your projects, because by hiring professionals in various fields, you get the expertise that your in-house developers may lack. This could be extremely helpful if you have complex IT projects and you need a senior level of expertise.
Last but not least, staff augmentation service can present your workers with excellent training opportunities. Your in-house staff can share the experience with your in-house team, allowing them to learn and grow throughout the whole development process.
<h3 dir="ltr">Types of staff augmentation</h3>
Today, IT staff augmentation can be divided into three main types, each with its own peculiarities:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8JHJnWD4bOURoRPVHFu5zWM-T94Pg8SirjEMrbLLwiisg5ZlKAYglstEAMOntIGk7P4qpiHs62JWYsYgRPeDimWpcBQRSU3JgrwD1uDaGsAwLkj0a7oHDeXexlAB4cWnZThnUu8zPkidm_MDN8smihwwIZZQqGhpE9_y2xzCgmqujU2Lolh37r960g" width="602" height="301" />
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Core augmentation
</li>
</ul>
This type of augmentation is long-term with a full-time contract. All the resources of the business are shared with another company and the core team works full-time at the hired company while paralelly working in their own company. The roles and responsibilities of the core team are stated in the contract.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Temporary augmentation
</li>
</ul>
This type of augmentation is short-term with temporary staff for a specific project. Usually, companies prefer the temporary augmentation model if they lack the resources for covering all their projects. Temporary augs can increase the number of people to handle multiple projects.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Functional augmentation&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
This type of augmentation involves contracted employees working temporarily on a specific project. The main difference between core and functional augmentation is that the latter doesn&rsquo;t have an indefinite duration.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Use cases of staff augmentation</h3>
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/OgesyNY3LXp1myGfxn2xiu0uL6HeSvfh4Lwx0OpwJ7oyhIKXSg1_LLnY5PDG8fXfNgO-kOaCdI328Ln4KpcH_fRQy6IlQ8mtJJk5QmYSFoW7paFVDcxjVsK6durNTRgoAgpZXI8xDqrE3Cr9NgfQJN-V65jc0cQgZce3TEsA5JrAJhvxmmJxqjvmeA" width="602" height="361" />
Before applying this cooperation strategy, it is crucial to know its best use cases. Here are some of the most common uses when you should consider opting for staff augmentation:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Reinforcing your in-house team: yes, you may already have a developer team that works in-house. However, when you launch new projects or release new products or services, it is better to improve your expertise by augmenting your existing IT team with temporary personnel. This way, you will get a better outcome.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
When you have short deadlines: the process of recruiting new employees is a complex process with lots of stages. But if you don&rsquo;t have time and patience for it, you can take advantage of staff augmentation. You can get programmers from any part of the world very fast and meet the needs of your project, no matter if it is short- or long-term.&nbsp;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
If you need specific expertise: if you need to get a specialist with a certain skill set over a short period of time, this cooperation method will help you out.&nbsp;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
If you need to bridge a gap: you can always hire temporary workers for short-term projects while looking for permanent candidates.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Difference between Staff Augmentation and Delivery Teams</h2>
When learning about staff augmentation, you may also come across the term delivery teams. These two terms can even be misused sometimes.&nbsp;
But what is the difference? And is there any?&nbsp;
As we already found out, staff augmentation is the process of hiring one or more temporary tech specialists. So, when you have more demanding projects that need constant support through all their stages of development, staff augmentation might not be a good fit for you.&nbsp;
In this case, you need a delivery team that usually consists of a skilled project manager, several software developers, and quality assurance specialists. Such teams work on projects autonomously and need little or no supervision from your side.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation</h2>
Just like with any other cooperation strategy, staff augmentation comes with a bunch of pros and cons. Here is the list of some of the benefits you can get when opting for this model:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/i4TCV4NeTTWw0-EVsargr5Rlef9RPfhuD8eqSMCid2WvIGZDir8GnbELbxDA6LOzfFwU3AGkQDbnUEjY-qkbbvfDgcVGZZLWsW7CB0D9PDogB9Q2e1QbLxhPsQUtuIgMdvJWPfP9ph0VOOm0v9gFxyh_TACS53LzYG0HS_8eTJrXpSE3GfSI3B5fOA" width="602" height="331" />
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Reduction of the time for recruiting</h3>
Organizing a well-functioning recruiting process takes time and energy. You need to create job descriptions, place them on the job portals, interview candidates, and do many other necessary steps. And even all of them do not guarantee fast and successful hiring.&nbsp;
But what if we say that staff augmentation will eliminate all these stages, especially if you get help from a staff augmentation company? It will do everything instead of you and staff your business very fast with new full members of your team.&nbsp;
Besides, having temporary workers will help you fight another issue called overstaffing. When you have already delivered the project, you may not need the same number of workers anymore. And with staff augmentation, you won&rsquo;t face the problem of firing gifted tech talent.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Access to a talented pool of experts</h3>
When you need a candidate with a certain technical skill set, the staff augmentation company will offer you good fits without wasting your time. Besides, you can select experts from any part of the world to meet your business goals if you do not have matches in your region.&nbsp;
With staff augmentation, you can use both internal and external resources while saving your time on onboarding and training of the new employees.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Enhanced flexibility and scalability</h3>
This model is extremely flexible and scalable. With IT staff augmentation, you can easily both upscale or downscale your development team, which is more comfortable than hiring full-time employees. What is more, when the project ends, you can end the partnership with temporary staff or revive it in the future if you need help again. This won&rsquo;t ruin your brand image like firing your employees.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">4. Quality on a budget</h3>
If your business has a limited budget and payroll, staff augmentation is just for you. You don&rsquo;t need to pay any extra costs as you do with full-time staff. However, you can always add some bonuses to improve their happiness and performance.&nbsp;
Moreover, small businesses benefit a lot from temporary placement on a short-term basis with no long-term commitment as you do not need to pay taxes or insurance.&nbsp;
But does this mean that the quality is lower, too? Of course, not. Staff augs deliver the same quality and quantity of work just like your full-time employees.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">How to Succeed with Team Augmentation</h2>
If done the right way, staff augmentation can significantly improve your bottom line and enhance productivity. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to successfully implement this strategy in your business:&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/0oGAHpiybiOmgjxvQWXQx1t_jEkf5baIZ5Vwp_3cRD1TCma8GUFM8RjC58mhyAqKwMix0MlCQ5fBuzK7c1MKsw7V6ZEJMP0Hf3266a-u1ipdqdLq3bgCqZeHeciS4aCC_Iy-VHx8Qklt90GXvmZOodVmz0M5jAYXE-X6bYDTmbZp2oYZdY5CgoCtsQ" width="602" height="512" />
<h3 dir="ltr">Identify which skill or expertise your company needs</h3>
The first step of staff augmentation adoption is identifying which tech expertise you currently need by conducting a detailed analysis of your business operation. You can also assess your projects requirements and your personnel audit outcome and find out which gap you have and whether the acquisition of the temporary employees will help you out.
<h3 dir="ltr">Search for staff augmentation provider</h3>
When you are looking for a staff augmentation vendor, you should always keep in mind your requirements as different staff augmentation companies have different approaches to recruiting. Conduct the research, assess their credentials and offers, and track records. Make sure to find someone who aligns with both your corporate and operational cultures.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Compare and choose one</h3>
You don&rsquo;t need to choose only one staff augmentation provider as each of them has unique offers to consider. Try to multisource, select several of the most suitable vendors, compare them, and select the one that is the best fit for long-term cooperation.
<h3 dir="ltr">Foster a healthy relationship between in-house and remote teams</h3>
No matter if you work with in-house or remote teams, you need to force a healthy environment in which everyone is happy to work. How? You need to communicate with everyone and ensure that each of the teams is in sync. For example, when you are holding a meeting, ask about your team&rsquo;s interests or hobbies to figure out what they have in common. This will also help in building a healthy relationship in the team.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Make sure the communication is clear</h3>
Did you know that your bottom line can be improved with the help of clear communication? How so? It is obvious. Your entire team needs to understand your business vision and mission as well as all project requirements. It is also very important to ensure clear communication so that everyone who takes part in the development and administration process can contribute to it and buy into decisions.
<h3 dir="ltr">Master useful technologies</h3>
Always master technologies and tools that might be helpful for you. Such team collaboration tools like CRM system, Slack, JIRA, task management system, or Basecamp help to share comments from team members as well as project statuses. Be careful as the lack of communication may result in miscommunication. And this can affect your entire project negatively. Many modern tools can do the contrary; they enhance the communication and collaboration within your team.&nbsp;
Conclusion&nbsp;&nbsp;
Undoubtedly, a staff augmentation strategy allows you to focus on your core business objectives and stay competitive in this fast-paced world. By adopting this cooperation solution, you get several benefits, like decreasing time and cost for recruiting and employment, improved efficiency of your team, and extreme flexibility and scalability.&nbsp;
If you often need employees for short-term projects, then IT staff augmentation is surely a must for your firm. And the abundance of staff augmentation providers on the market will ensure that you hire only skilled developers whenever you need them and won&rsquo;t spend too much time and money on recruiting.

Staff augmentation is an outsourcing hiring strategy where a business temporarily hires one or several outsourcing IT experts for a certain project.

Staff augmentation is an outsourcing hiring strategy where a business temporarily hires one or several outsourcing IT experts for a certain project.