Human-centred design sites that invite exploration, spark joy, and reward curiosity align perfectly with what small businesses (and creative studios) often want: something functional but not boring, accessible but still engaging.

Great web design isn’t just about ticking accessibility checkboxes or ensuring responsive layouts. The real goal is to create experiences that people want to come back to – sites that are intuitive and exciting, functional and full of personality.

Bit first… let’s talk accessibility, user experience – and that slightly older term usability.

Many people misunderstand the true purpose of business websites. Is it to inform? To impress? To behave like an app? The reality is, the web has always existed somewhere between function and flair. A good site isn’t just about looking slick or showing off clever technical tricks – it’s about working well for the people using it. And that means in all circumstances, not just inside an optimally lit, air-conditioned office.

A bit of history 🥱

The web began as simple text documents, shared via links. Then came media – images, audio, video – and not long after, dynamic websites that responded to users in real-time. Interactivity arrived, previously reserved for apps, now baked into websites.

And alongside all that? A creative streak – from ASCII art, goofy animated GIFs and Flash games. Today it’s HTML5’s dynamic layouts populated with user-generated content. We’ve always had two trends: the utilitarian and the artistic. Most websites fall somewhere in between.

When design becomes a barrier

You could argue that the best website is one that loads instantly, uses clean text and images, and works everywhere – from your phone to your game console – pure function. Others prefer immersive, app-like experiences with full-screen animations and interactive UI. Both are valid, depending on context.

But when design becomes friction – slowing down access to content or confusing users – it’s worth re-evaluating.

Complexity hides under the hood

Since mobile browsing took off around 20 years ago, complexity has exploded. A decade ago, you could still hand-code a basic site in a text editor. Now, even a simple feature like an icon with text may involve hours of testing, responsiveness tweaks, and cross-device fixes.

A typical Elementor layout – it can take several nested sections just to position a single item and make sure it behaves well on all screen sizes. Each nesting level has its own settings that needs to be considered – such as alignment, sizing, wrapping etc.

That’s why we rely on frameworks and platforms. We’re not building the plumbing – we’re building the storefront. Open-source ecosystems make this possible, and many have matured beautifully over the years.

These frameworks are usually the result of collective effort – often involving hundreds of contributors – which requires solid project management and strategic oversight. Even well-established tools can go off the rails without proper maintenance (ever heard of Boo.com or Zilingo?). Only large corporations can afford fully in-house systems – and even then, they’re often stitched together with third-party components.

So unless your goal is to print “Hello, world” in plain text chances are you’ll be building on top of something (WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, Webflow). But there are pitfalls. It can be tempting to jump on the latest rising star, only to discover its foundations are shaky, forcing a costly – and sometimes impossible replatform down the line.

What lies beneath

Responsive design: Versions tailored for phones, tablets, desktops – even personalised themes like dark-mode.
Accessibility: Semantic markup for screen readers, keyboard-friendly controls, skip links, and more.
Performance: Next-gen formats like WebP, scripts that load only when needed, fonts that don’t block rendering.
SEO structure: Metadata, schema, image alt tags—all invisible, all vital.

Not everything needs to be a showreel

You can call me a boomer 😉 but media-heavy sites with a loader-spinner on homepage often feel more like experiments than useful tools (imo). If you’re showcasing creative work? Great. But if people can’t easily access that work, the effort may be misplaced.

That said, creativity has its place. The web is better because people have played with it – early CSS tricks, animation hacks, and even meme culture have shaped today’s best practices. We’ve taken inspiration and refined it.

Loading screen on a homepage — while the rest of the site is visually polished we don’t have a chance to experience it unless we are patient enough… fair, but it may slow down access to information.

Accessibility is just good design

Websites should work. On any reasonably modern device. While we’ve left behind the iPhone 4 and non-HTTPS support, the principle remains: make content accessible without assuming what device or browser someone uses.

Fonts, for example: system fonts are often used for body text – simply specifying sans-serif and letting the device choose Helvetica, Arial or Roboto. Custom fonts, while eye-catching, are best reserved for emphasis – always with fallbacks.

Same goes for dark mode. Since its rise around 2018 (macOS Mojave, iOS 13), it’s become expected. But implementation varies – some browsers might force it. So we build with flexibility in mind.

The web is about user control

Unlike print or film, the web is fluid. Users can zoom in, change font sizes, or override colours. That’s not a bug – it’s a feature. Designers shouldn’t try to lock down the experience. Our job is to guide, not dictate.

Because ultimately, if no one can read your site or use your buttons, it doesn’t matter how slick it looks.

Building sites that feel human

We have the tools. We have the standards. We’ve mastered responsive layouts and accessibility checklists. So now, let’s take things further.

Let’s build websites that invite interaction, reward curiosity, and feel alive.

Because when good design also works — that’s when the web becomes what it was always meant to be: a space for people (and robots, not the opposite).

Designing for engagement doesn’t mean sacrificing usability

You don’t need a huge animation budget or gimmicks. Sometimes it’s the small touches:

A friendly, conversational tone
Microinteractions — like a button that gently pulses on hover
Easter eggs that show up when you least expect them
Scroll-based storytelling that feels immersive, not overwhelming
Illustrations that feel bespoke, not like stock assets

The trick is designing with both accessibility and engagement in mind:

Using animation? Respect “reduced motion” preferences.
Getting creative with colour? Keep contrast compliant.
Adding flair? Keep navigation clear, and always provide fallbacks.

It’s not style vs substance — it’s combining the two.

Examples of engaging UX in practice

Mailchimp made B2B fun with their quirky illustrations and surprise messages.
Stripe keeps things sleek, but adds subtle, satisfying animations for developers.
Notion balances minimalist design with tiny flourishes that feel tactile and alive.
GOV.UK proves simple, accessible, content-first design can still be effective, even in the public sector.

Joyful design isn’t just for artsy brands — it can work anywhere, if it’s done with care. Companies like Apple, Slack, and Brevo excel at combining usability with polish, making everyday tasks feel smooth and satisfying.

Common objections — and why they matter

You might be thinking:

“Why would I care?”
“It’s too much effort.”
“No one will notice anyway.”
“This is expensive.”

These doubts are common — and not entirely unreasonable. But here’s the thing:

Engaging, well-designed websites often reflect something deeper: an organisation that genuinely values its users / customers. Design choices signal care, confidence, and clarity. Even in B2B spaces, or internal tools, experience matters — because someone still has to use it. And they’ll remember how it felt.

Yes, not everyone notices why something feels good. But they’ll feel the difference between a clunky, frustrating website and one that just works. That emotional response is what builds trust, loyalty, and connection.

In some environments — especially in corporate or large institutional – people have grown so used to software that frustrates or ignores their needs that they stop expecting anything better. Productivity apps, internal systems, or enterprise platforms are often chosen by execs or IT departments based on price, integrations, or legacy dependencies, not usability. As a result, users quietly adapt to friction and frustration, assuming that’s just how things work. Over time, this normalises bad experiences – and it becomes hard to even imagine that things could be more intuitive, humane, or joyful.

Designing for people doesn’t mean ignoring stakeholders or business objectives — it just means balancing them with empathy. Even if your audience is primarily made up of managers, tech teams, or execs, they’re still human. They still respond to clarity, rhythm, tone, motion — just like everyone else.

Related/further reading

Recommended listening: thoughtful voices on UX & design

If you’re curious or want to stay inspired, here are a few excellent design-focused podcasts:

UX Podcast – by Nielsen Norman Group
Insightful, practical, and research-based – less fluff, more usable thinking.
Design Better Podcast – via InVision
Interviews with top minds at companies like Airbnb, IDEO, Slack.
In the Making (former Wireframe) – via Adobe
Focuses on the why of design and the impact of UX in everyday products.
Presentable – by Jeff Veen
Covers the intersection of product design, business and innovation.
The Futur with Chris Do
More design-entrepreneur focused, but touches a lot on UX philosophy and positioning.

Designing for engagement, function, and access