Web design is open by its nature, yet historically it is divided into static and dynamic phase. We believe time has come to blend these two, as the process and result of web design lives on the same screen. Being able to see how it performs early on improves decision making.
Open web design means that designers can edit the source design visually. Improve, change it, get inspired or even learn why and how it works.
One of the great benefits of digital design is that it can be tested and measured. Yet so many aren’t doing that. Partly we can blame the workflow, where the client buys the design from the designer and focuses on aesthetics, not the results. But what if that could be included into our deliverables? What if we provided the designs and helped improve them? I admit it's scary, since the new design might perform worse that the previous one. Then again, what if we improved the design based on the data we gathered and ended up doubling or tripling the conversions? The gains seem to be way bigger than the scars to your ego.
Although testing is a powerful tool used by pros, there is no reason why you shouldn’t test simpler sites even if it's a portfolio or a marketing landing page. The more abstract and high level the design the more value you get from your tests. If you use simple rough wireframes, the focus is on the product and its values rather than details and visuals.
The most relevant source of inspiration and considerations when designing things are people. This inspiration can be deeper than understanding what people do, why they do it and what they say they need; it is ultimately about understanding what they truly value. Building empathy with the users can be inspirational and help define the overall experience.