Commentary

Web Design Has Changed Since 2000, Why Haven't Evaluation Standards?

When design criteria were initially established in 2000, Web designers and developers were limited by implementation and technology, modeling web experiences after the print medium. The relative newness of the medium shaped the way web sites were evaluated because consumers were acclimating themselves to a new way of interacting with content. Unfortunately, these standards never evolved, despite consumers' becoming more digital savvy. This is the equivalent of a cave man judging a Lamborghini based on his own design of the wheel.

Here's a look at some of the design criteria whose usefulness may have passed.

The Great Readability and Font Size Debate
Does the difference between 9pt and 10pt represent the difference between success and failure? In 2000 this may have been valid (maybe) but is a non-issue today. Sites are accessible in a wide set of mobile and stationary platforms so resolution, not font size, has a much bigger impact on a site's legibility.

Remember the Fold?
The problem here is fundamental: we're applying a term from a print medium to a digital one (literally where you folded the broadsheet newspaper). Are we really worried about users not knowing how to scroll down a web page? This condescending view overlooks smart design systems that prompt users beyond the initial page view. Is it better to have one long, scrolling web page with clearly organized content, four navigable pages or keep the user focused on the "viewing frame" and trigger layers of content on their prompt? All of these methods have their contextual advantages and should not be evaluated in a vacuum.

Navigation
Today's user does not need one style of navigation system. Consumers are accustomed to navigating through a variety of mobile and digital mediums including phones, ATM screens and DVRs - all of which have a navigation system defined by the platform. One size no longer fits all. It is unrealistic to think designers are going to create new "navigation metaphors" that confuse consumers. We are creating new metaphors because new mediums and platforms demand it

Evaluation standards need to unchain marketers from the minutiae and focus on delivering ground-breaking online experiences. Here are some important questions brands should consider rather than font size and drop down menus:

• Do we want static content or content in motion?
• Do we want to enable browsing and searching together - determinative navigation?
• Should the site feature on-demand navigation or always-on navigation?
• Are we designing for a single or multi-platform experience? - what is the signature style?

In the early part of this decade, static web sites did not foreshadow the digital world's current endless possibilities. If you create an engaging online experience that is true to your brand's message, your successful metrics will be the ultimate evaluation of your strategy.

3 comments about "Web Design Has Changed Since 2000, Why Haven't Evaluation Standards?".
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  1. Sock Money from Sockmoney, LLC, February 9, 2010 at 9:39 a.m.

    Font size is still important. If you have small font, or light font, folks can't read it. I think if anything font size has become more important as folks are becoming more aware of the health issues with spending too much time online with small/bad fonts.

  2. Ken Hablow, February 9, 2010 at 9:57 a.m.

    Aside from font size, the actual font is more critical. I have seen generic fonts used on web pages that are almost unreadable. I cannot understand why some web designers still use Arial, a free print font substitute for Helvetica, when Verdana was designed for on-screen reading. The latest versions of Outlook default to Calibri, which is even nicer. In a recent email exchange with a techie friend, he commented on the Calibri font and asked if I was using it on websites. I am starting to use it but specify Verdana as a backup since some older machines will not have Calibri unless they have recently upgraded anything Microsoft.

    I generally like to use 11px (not pt) for font size. More importantly, though, is “line height” or what is called “leading” in the print world. I have found with a font size of 11px a line-height of 17px or 18px makes the text easy to read, or scan.

    I will agree people today are so used to scrolling that having everything “above the fold” is not as critical as it used to be. What seems to be the more current design trend is for something photographic taking up half the screen. The right photo or art work can entice the site visitor to scroll down a bit. Home pages with only text get boring. Still, whatever text is on the home page needs to be relevant to the visitor.

  3. Ellie Becker from E.R. Becker Company, Inc., February 9, 2010 at 11:18 a.m.

    Thanks for getting an important conversation going. Everything marketing is evolving but understanding new web design thinking and best practices is critical, as effective online presence becomes more central to overall marketing/PR efforts. I'll share this with my web design partners for sure.

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