Most of the many millions of websites that exist are terrible. A large proportion of the rest are merely competent. It’s rare to find something that genuinely pushes the boundaries. It’s amazing how such a young artistic discipline as web design can become so generic and derivative so easily. Earlier this week I criticized bloggers for posting lists of “OK-ish” websites rather than showcasing the truly outstanding. Part of the problem is that the truly outstanding is incredibly rare.
Little Box Of Ideas posted a good article this week talking about potential design trends of 2010. I realized that I’d probably see those trends on a million websites in the next year. Web design has become a cookie cutter. Sites are put together in the same generic way, with few variations. Banner, nav bar, two or three columns including one main content one, footer. It’s everywhere, and I’m as guilty as the next man.
When Did You Last Sit Back And Think, “Whoa…”?
I saw a site last week that just blew me away. Take a look at www.workingelement.com because it’s amazing. For sheer visual impact it’s just streets ahead of most of what else is out there. Sure, I could criticize the overuse of Flash, the apparent poor accessibility, or other factors. I’d be indulging in pedantry though, because from a design standpoint it’s just a truly outstanding site.
It’s also a rarity. I see a lot of websites every day. Many of them are well put together, competently designed, visually attractive. They are good examples of the genre. That’s the problem. If they’re good examples of the genre then that suggests they’re generic. If something is generic then it doesn’t truly stand out. I couldn’t remember the names or designs of most of the sites I saw. Competent as they are, they blend together.
Generic Outcomes From An Inward Looking Clique
Social media is great, isn’t it? It lets us network every day with other web designers, pointing each other to good content and highlighting excellent work. We congratulate each other, rarely is a negative word said. And the result is that we’ve become comfortable. Our design inspiration for websites is … other websites. Our design inspiration for logos is … other logos. Our design inspiration for typography is … other typography.
Useful collaboration and pooling of resources is one thing. Incestuous complacency, an unwillingness to take risks, that’s something else. Great design doesn’t always obey the rules. In fact great design should provoke passion – either in loving something or hating it. We’re locked into a traditional approach to web design. A decade old industry which is already stuck in traditional approaches! Websites, even “good” websites, well what they most look like is … another website. Maybe I’ll make an acronym – JAW – to signify that, “just another website”.
Let The Perfect Be The Enemy Of The Merely Good
Don’t be afraid to be radical, to stretch for something new. Don’t be afraid to deliberately step away from the accepted wisdom of web design. The great artists in history didn’t create derivative work, they broke the rules. Take your inspiration from anywhere but the web. Run away from your computer. Take pieces of inspiration from everywhere; architecture, fashion, nature, cars, hairstyles, a puddle, sculpture, photography, music … anything except another website, another logo or another font. Go with your gut – if you think the main navigation menu would be best in the bottom right of the page, then do it, and ignore the accepted wisdom that says this is wrong.
This is not saying ignore your clients, this is not saying totally ignore what’s worked in the past. But don’t be bound by it. Let’s push back against the derivative nature of web design. Always be seeking to push the boundaries of both the technology and your imagination.
