So this 'death of the web' is about that all websites are starting to look the same because website designers and programmers are relying on the basic default layouts, rather than trying to experiment and make their website stand out from the crowd. This is mainly because:
- Designing a website will always be challenging and quite technical
- They know certain design formulas that already work well and easier to create
- The web used to be seen as a playground for experimentation, but know we take it much more seriously
- There has been a division between process of designing how the website will work and function, which often come first and then designing how it looks later on. This process leads to a lot of samey websites and apps that end up just having different colours.
- A focus on what tests well rather than what could succeed (e.g. Helvetica ending up everywhere)
- These generic website designs are considered 'good' in the industry
Another important point was raised discussing when to use a similar design to other websites as this has the perk of familiarity. This is good when the user is wanting to get something done at a satisfying speed (like paying for something with a credit card), but when the user is browsing you want them to have an 'experience' and this is where speed is less important. Same goes for physical spaces.
So this talk has definitely inspired us to rethink our website design and will give us the chance to integrate the visual language between website and the space.
- EW
Brian Lucid
Associate Professor of Design, Coordinator, Post Graduate Design
Thinking about designing a website:
- How do we explain what wants to be known?
- Need to define the way the system works (via wireframing)
Death of the web:
All websites at the moment look the same, I created a WCL New Adult version to explain this - large graphic with type overlaid, small navbar that will take you further down the page, defined sections instead of different pages. We need to think about this when redesigning our scrolling website and make sure that it's different than most new websites on the internet, whilst thinking about how we can include some features to keep the familiarity and make the website user friendly. "Web was seen as a playground before," we need to bring this back and try new things.
UX - How it works - Userflow, Wireframing, Prototyping
UI - How it looks - Type, Colour, Layout, Graphics
CX - (not featured in this lecture but also important to think about) How the user will use it - user testing, journey mapping, users POV
Responsive web design - we need to do this, make our website fluid not static, similar to those above its a similar design but with small changes such as a simpler navbar on the phone.
Activate white space!
Design web experiences that are appropriate to the user and their needs.
Integrate UX and UI. Experiences are holistic
Treat performance as design, be modular.
Use a framework that supports your vision, don't modify your vision to fit the framework.
Grids are armatures for content, not containers, don't restrict yourself - maybe grid isn't for web anymore.
Web is not print! Consider new forms that print cannot do.
Engagement is the problem
Could be about slowing things down - rather than making a website that's really quick and easy to use you may want to slow some parts down so that the user is engaged for longer.
Complexity needs to be managed right.
This lecture came at a really great point in this project, we're just about to redesign our website design and the tips and ideas from this lecture really will help. Really inspired me to just get stuck in and go back to the wireframing point.
- SM
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