We all want a pretty and functional design but why are almost everything the same? If you visit
different pages with totally different subject why does it look the same?
Because everyone, every client and designer are pushed to a standardize world of designing. Or what
the Dutch would say: “sheep behavior” (schapen gedrag), which means if one does something the rest
follows.
Big companies are doing this, maybe we should also do this.
But more important thing they want are reaching out to everybody. Nothing personalized, just the
biggest audience please.
So as a designer, what can you do to explain or change design if your client has already made up his
mind?
I don’t know actually.
But what I do know is, web designers need to think more like a graphic designer.
Why
The canvas is bigger than of the Graphic designer. So you have more space to play with and user can actually interact with the content. Graphic designers are problem solvers, there main goal is visually communicate with their audience. That one thing the make represent the whole message.
Web designers is the same case but with more interaction, more optimization and personal. But now you have to watch out for user experience design and having a lot of a b testing. But this is because it in the internet, accessible and maybe buggy. So most of the time it has to be perfect.
But why the lame, boring designs. Where is the fun designs at?
Interaction
Can you click on a poster? No.
You can have so much interaction in your design if it fits the case. Adding nonsense can make user
stay a little longer but mostly will remember it because of that. The user can control what they
want to see, as a designer you is that your goal you aim for.
Spreading information can be dull and boring, but your audience is bigger than the one from the
posters. Bigger canvas is more interaction.
Functionality first design later
Because you’re on the web, you want to have a working website for before designing everything. Start with the basic, have a design in your head, but focus on a working website. Create a healthy relationship between functionalities and design if not, some key element could get tangled with things and you’ll have a problem later on. Fixing this can be a pain in the ass too.
The best practice is to always go back and forth. Code something and make it work, design a little and see some flaws and go back at coding again. Working like this will give you a fresh look at you design which create a better flow in seeing thing where it should or shouldn’t be.