The design approach of a website changed a lot those last years…
Though the basics are still here:
- make the content look great to the targeted audience,
- think about the ergonomics to lead the visitor,
- choose the right color scheme,
- make it light and fast to load
New tools and new devices improve incredibly the way we design today.
The main point to me is the development of Smartphones and Tablets. When a designer thinks about a new website he must think about 3 web designs. The website is then responsive, which is in 90% projects required today.
The ergonomics is also improved with javascript libraries such as jQuery. The navigation is much more intuitive including elements in motion.
The work on fonts will make pages easy to read and provide fancy content. This is essential. Libraries such as Google Fonts is a good repository.