Thoughts
Web 2.0 Design Trends May 22, 2008
I swore to myself that this would never happen, but after looking for inspiration on too many CSS Web Galleries the style has kinda gotten into my head, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.
In many ways, I feel like the style trends of what many are calling Web 2.0 are getting boring and overused. When I browse around these CSS galleries, I feel like many are simply copying each other and not actually putting any thought into their designs, only reusing “cool effects” that others have discovered, and already tired out. And yet I find some of these styles creeping into my own designs. Agh!
In an effort to figure out what I like and dislike about some of these new styles, I’m going to try and sort out the things that I feel are worthwhile from the things that I feel are merely trendy.
Merely Trendy:
- Glossyness and glows: It seems like every design element has to have a curved glossy line that came straight off of a 90’s iMac computer. And it has to glow as well. Where does this fascination with shiny objects come from?
- Gradients everywhere: Some designs are so filled with gradients that have absolutely no point. The gradients are so obvious and annoying that they have no point than to fill space.
- Reflections: Yes, Apple has used this effect well in the past and it was cool then. That does not, however, mean that every logo, photo, product, or whatever needs to look like its reflecting on some mysteriously shiny white or black background.
- Illustrated comic-style icons: I’m not sure how to describe this, but why does every new Internet startup have to have an illustrated logo, or describe their services with kiddie comic-style icons that don’t really fit them at all?
Actually Worthwhile:
- Adding Depth: I’m not totally against gradients and drop shadows, they can certainly serve to create a sense of depth in the design and layering that draws the viewer in, feeling like they could almost pick up some of the elements instead of only looking at a flat screen.
- Using textures: The internet has been flat color for far too long, I enjoy the use of creative textures and that help the design communicate, not distract from it.
- More Interactivity: New technologies like AJAX are great and help the viewer feel like the website is much more alive and interactive than before. I especially like interacting with elements that aren’t even clickable.
- Creative, but simple Navigation: I’m so tired of the normal left-side navigation. I’m loving new designs that show simple, yet creative navigation that’s obvious to use.
- Bigger Photos: I love seeing large photos that immediately draw you into the design.
- Breaking Boundries: We’re so used to boxy designs that keep their content self-contained. I enjoy designs that set up these boundries and then purposefully break them with photographic or design elements.
So yeah, I wouldn’t call that a complete list either way, just some thoughts on my part. I think my biggest thing is really just that I want to make sure that I’m staying original, and that I’m not just following the crowd like I see some designers doing. Each design is for a unique person, organization, or company, so how can so many end up looking the same way?
One Response to “Web 2.0 Design Trends”
Nate June 13th, 2008 11:01 pm
Great post! I’m getting another site developed right now and I specifically said NO Web 2.0!
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