Have you noticed that in this age of lightning-fast
knowledge transfer, new tech terms get coined and worn out
before most people even understand what they mean (think AJAX)? “Web
2.0” is another one of those terms. Here I will try to
explain what Web 2.0 really means and what effect it will have
on the job of a web designer.
What is Web 2.0?
The term “Web 2.0” is already being used to describe
any site that has big XP-style icons and lots of white space,
but the term really defines how a website functions much more
than how it looks. Here are the most important characteristics
of Web 2.0 sites:
- Social aspects – Web 2.0 websites harness the collective
intelligence of the users by enabling user contribution and
interaction with the idea that the collective knowledge of
the users is far above and beyond any one person or company.
In addition, by engaging customers, your site naturally causes
a viral networking effect causing word to spread faster and
faster. No traditional corporate marketing plan can compete
with the effects of this kind of viral networking.
- Web applications instead of web sites – As the dot
com crash so painfully pointed out, hype will only last for
so long. Eventually you are going to need to provide a valuable
service to internet users or they will simply click the Back
button, never to return. It’s so easy to do so. Likewise,
many smart folks, such as those at Google realized that you
don’t need to waste your time making a flashy website
with lots of mediocre content – the visitors will come
if you provide a valuable service that is easy to use.
- Simple and efficient user experience – Gone are the
days of waiting for pages to download every time you click
a link or button. Leaving your website takes just one twitch
of a finger - users won’t stand for it. Technologies
such as JavaScript and AJAX enable portions of pages to update
without having to reload, making for an efficient and enjoyable
user experience.
You’ll notice from the list above that Web 2.0 is not
so much about giant icons and text, or white space and pastel
colors, but actual functionality that engages users to build
something greater than any one person can.
This all has a few important implications for you, the web
designer. First, designing Web 2.0 pages from a creative viewpoint
is going to be much more enjoyable. No longer will you be encouraged
to cram every little open space on the page with images or
content. In the Web 2.0 world, less is more. The purpose of
the simple design is to eliminate the noise and clearly explain
how to use the website.
Secondly, you’ll need to design with the knowledge that
there is going to be a whole lot more functionality placed
behind the pages you create than before. For example, instead
of cramming six different div tags on a single page, they may
be combined into tabs and switched via JavaScript. As another
example, you may find that your old friend the Submit button
is going the way of the Dodo as JavaScript events on linked
images are much more attractive and don’t trigger a page
load.
Depending on your level of technical knowledge, you may or
may not actually implement the functionality on the pages you
create, but you should be aware of how to design for the new
Web 2.0 style. Some people call Web 2.0 a meaningless marketing
buzzword, but when you get past the obvious visual differences,
which are there merely to provide a simple and enjoyable experience,
you’ll see that the true concepts of Web 2.0 are what
users want in a website, and so they truly are here to stay.
Article
Source: http://www.articlecube.com
©Copyright 2006 SaffronWeb
Design. SaffronWeb Design is a professional web design
company based in Montreal. SaffronWeb
Design is an award winning web design
company that specializes in developing creative, functional
web sites and online marketing based on target audience,
consumer trends, internet viewer statistics, interactive
psychology and user friendly navigation. Since 1999,SaffronWeb
Design has been delivering professional
internet campaigns and providing web design services that
consistently exceeds client expectations. 514 865-7292
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