A vast majority of Web Design Companies will agree that the biggest test of its skills is finding the right balance between styling and compatibility with multiple internet browsers. Internet browsers are software applications that are used to recover, navigate and display information from the World Wide Web.

The most common browsers today are Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera and Safari. Each browser interprets the website code in its own unique way and this can sometimes result in differing images, tables and alignments which throw the intended web design off balance.

The fact that newer versions of browsers are also released often adds to the challenge of creating user friendly web designs. The easiest way to avoid compatibility issues with different browsers and different versions of these browsers is to create simple layouts with very few elements. Safe and boring as this may sound, some companies adopt this approach because they have prioritised accessibility and uniformity. Web Design specialists not only need to consider browser compatibility but also the 'device' or 'platform' on which the browsers will be operating from. For example: desktop computers, laptops, iPhones or mobile devices.

There is no absolutely correct choice for the main target browser for your website. Sometimes multiple versions of a website are built to suit differing browsers. Either the visitor can select their browser type or a script can be used to detect the browser type and redirect users to the appropriate version of the website.

The balancing act between innovative web design and compatibility with internet browsers (old and new) should spring from understanding your target audience.

• A web design targeted to academic or scientific communities would most likely require some attention to compatibility with graphics-free browsers (AKA text browsers) such as Lynx.

• Consumer audiences for non-technology based audiences often have older versions of browsers that come standard with the setup of their laptops or computers.

• Younger, technology-driven audiences are more likely to be using more recent versions of browsers and mobile technologies. Mobile website compatibility is especially important for IT professionals that work offsite often.

• Corporate intranets, internet kiosks are by far the most controlled environments to develop websites and digital presentations. This means that you can be more creative and take better advantage of scripted features and custom fonts in most cases. These environments do have one limitation in that they need to be scrupulously stress-tested for browser crashes, internet speeds and server loads to ensure data is fully and speedily accessible.

Each company will need to 'draw the line' based on the project manager's personal experience, popular opinion and the web design professional's advice. These are all great starts but adding in an assessment of the website's current Google Analytics might indicate new browser aspects to consider. If 80% of your visitors use mobile devices to access your website then your website would do well to address this need by testing the layout view on multiple mobile devices.