Every designer faces an eternal question when he starts a web design project. "What should I do? Should I use a popular trend or use my own style and create a ‘great' web design?"

I am not against the trends and it's actually quite helpful for the newcomers in the web design field. But following a trend and designing a great website are two different things.

Trends are short lived and after 10 years, a popular website design trend can become outdated. But a great creative design will remain forever. Another problem with trends is that while a particular trend is good for one project, it can cause utter failure in another project.

Before adopting any trend, evaluate the project and implement the trend carefully. Trends can create a lot of problems and become monotonous. Here are some of the main negative aspects of using a trend.

Trend makes you satisfied- If you start using trends in your design too much, it will drain your creativity. Trends predetermine what you can do and can't do in a website. You forget to learn new things in web design. For example, if you design only corporate website, then you start following a trend and keep using it in every website you design. "Why should I try something new? I found a design trend to satisfy my corporate clients!"

Inspiration turns into plagiarism- When you like a particular trend, you start copying the designs. There are so many websites that offer free templates based on particular themes. Some lazy designers just copy them and claim as their original design. You can use trends but there is a difference between "inspiration" and "stealing".

You lose creativity- Once you start following a trend too much, you start believing you can't design a page on your own. You lose all your creative energy and become a reproducing machine. Designers start feeling that "why should I create unique design? There are great designers who can do that. I am not good enough!" What these copycats don't realize is that every great trend was once created by a designer and over time it gained popularity.

Trend makes a website less effective- If a design trend is useful for one project it may not be as effective in another project. Using a drop down menu is very popular among designers because it's a trend. But if the site you are designing doesn't need a drop down menu, then adding it as a "trend rule" is nothing but foolish.

On the contrary, great designs look good, functions properly and they are easy to use. A unique, great design can establish a brand and even take an established brand to a new high. A great design has its own advantages and here are some of them.

Problem solving capability- Great web designs solve the problems that users generally face. It can be the navigation, search option or Flash file integration that will make the user experience a lot better.

Helps users to find information- A great web design is like a la carte menu. You don't look at every corner for the information; you simply get it on a platter. It shows you which link will lead you to the exact information you are looking for.

Effectiveness- Great website designs are effective. They remain updated and interact with the users. Such designs even solve the usability problems, you never knew you had.

Visual attraction- If you have seen a really great web design then you must have noticed that besides being user friendly they look stunning. In web design look and feel matter a lot. Users generally believe that if a website design looks beautiful and professional, the services of that brand will be good as well.

Every designer should aspire to create a great design. Anyone can follow a trend and create a neat design. But when it comes to the "wow" factor, you have to be creative and use your own design style. You may fail at your fist attempt, but if you have the potential, your design will be recognized by people around the world.