Upgrading to Web 2.5
We’ve beaten the “Web2.0″ term to death – the debates have been had and are nearing an end. Yes, there was a web2.0 and very clearly a web2.0 design style. I’ve always advocated the difference between “design” and “art”, especially with respect to “web design”. Design styles and trends have their place – there is more to their use and their success than simply their visual appeal to other designers. The masses respond well to the web2.0 idea … they love the gradients, borders, rounded-corners and reflections – when done subtly and elegantly they become very powerful, persuasive, engaging and appealing visual elements. However, like all successful design trends that have mass appeal – as designers we must know when to move-on.
I am not deleting any Photoshop filters or hanging up my gradient tool for life – but I am ready for a redesign of my own personal site. This has been a long-time coming, especially as I’ve been recently debating the form and function of MarylandMedia.com now that nclud is my primary focus. Much to my own style, I decided to make a bit of a subtle statement in my new design. I’ve put away the infamous MarylandMedia gradient and have shelved the rounded corners. But, replaced with what?
Well, I am moving to a web2.5 look and feel; this more of a design satire then a reflection of personal taste. This visual move was prompted by a short and highly controversial presentation by Elliot Jay Stocks at the Future of Web Design. I’ll just say it … he really pissed me off. Don’t get my wrong, Elliot is an amazing designer and great person to grab a beer with – I just had strong feelings towards this one particular presentation. He essentially bastardized the use of the web2.0 design style; hell, the presentations title was “Destroy the web2.0 look”. What bothered me most about Elliot’s presentation was my feeling of ironic hypocrisy as he seeks to destroy the web2.0 look and so outlandishly and overwhelmingly embraces the web2.5 look within his own site and his portfolio. Demonize trends and shit on design fades all you want – but not when you’re practicing them yourself and not realizing it – or because you’re just 0.5 ahead of the rest of us.
So, what is web2.5? Well, it is the evolution of web2.0 of course – we’ve traded in the gradients and reflections for huge background images, over-use of real-life objects and a love for transparent and opaque backgrounds. The gradient is out and the wallpaper pattern is in – don’t like wallpaper patterns? Well, that is easily substituted for large background images of real life objects like hardwood floors, vintage canvases, textured backgrounds and all things earthy. Oh yes, anything vintage is now hot; vintage is the new new. Web2.5 is about not having boxes with rounded corners and borders and replacing that with Polaroid frames, hand-drawn sketch images, marks and fonts. The odd thing is … everything emerging in this web2.5 design style is really a re-emergence of the pre-web standards era of the late nineties; when print designers started exploring with web design more and flash started taking center-stage as the best mechanism to display large high-quality images at a small size.
My website is no longer a portfolio piece for hire – I can now have a bit more fun with it and perhaps even make a bit of a satirical statement in the process. There is nothing wrong with following trends. A web designer most always has a business objective tied to them; whether they know it or not. And trends sell; you just may not see it because you are so immersed in this industry (or your may just be more of an artist than a designer). Do you think fashion designers love the latest styles at Banana Republic? Of course not, to them those styles are so commonplace and very much out-dated; but that doesn’t keep Banana Republic from being seen as a trend setter in the fashion space within the eyes of the masses, and being extremely successful in the process.
To me design is about business, design is about fun and design is about self-expression.
- January 29th, 2008
- 34comments
- I am a proud member of the 9rules network
nice site! me likes!
Thanks! It has been a work in progress for like two-weeks now … but I can live with this. Still some minor touch-ups here and there.
I like it! The cheeky tagline is great. As if we just needed an internet connection and photoshop to be web designers, hah!
@Naomi, thank you! I was hoping someone would pick-up on the taglines — I am glad you enjoyed it.
Love the layout!
You’ve got to read The Hand is Back
@n!ck, thanks for the comment … and yes, I did read that article and totally agree.
another great article, martin — sending me as you usually do to go and discover new stuff on the web via your links and other information.
i do have a question though — to me, “web 2.0″ was more about the technology — how developers were able to leverage existing code into highly interactive, highly successful, and impressively streamlined web “applications,” and less about the designs themselves. do you think it’s possible to see it from the point of view that the new design styles taking shape at leading-edge sites like yours are not actually the kind of milestone that web 2.0 was (or at least, what it seemed to me to be), but rather a deliberate, meaningful and intelligent evolution of the more subtle aspects of “look and feel”? — not trying to take away its importance, but just trying to reconcile what “web 2.0″ was and what the “next” generation of online environments will do in terms of productivity, usability, etc.
firsty, I think you are far more right than wrong, but I think along with the technology and techniques of Web 2.0, there was a similar design style at work on many of the Web 2.0 sites. Though I do find that most popular of the Web 2.0 sites combined a bit of the “Web 2.0 style” with their own. It was the cheaper knockoff sites that went full blast into gradients, large fonts and rounded corners to get a Web 2.0 cred. But just like the kids who buy their entire wardrobe from Hot Topic, just copying the Web 2.0 style makes you more of a poser than credible. The true leaders had their own style.
definitely — but: which trend will hold? — what i mean is, will web 2.0 technologies evolve as the design evolves or will we end up seeing web 2.0 tech as an umbrella over a trend from A to X in design concepts?
i guess i’m not sure if it’s going to pan out as accurate to talk about new design trends as driving the “version” of the larger online environments. if we go to 2.5 in design, say, then what does 2.5 mean in terms of technology?
i only mention this because i’m wondering if these new design trends are associated with different uses or applications (not “applications” like “online software” but rather like “applied technology”). is web 2.5 going to be the realization of true synchronization between online and desktop (offline) apps? is it going to be the ultimate (but logical conclusion of) database-engineered web interface, where we are all on our own single and unique interface which sees/interprets/connects the full wealth of content/users? or, what do these new design trends mean for the way we interact with the content available?
Sorry, I’m already running Web 3.11 for Workgroups :-) (and I’m sure that is at least the millionth time that joke has been made)
When I design sites I try to make minimal use of images, mainly because I don’t love Photoshop or Fireworks. I like coding, not playing with filters and colors. I am now rationalizing this as the new trend since sites are going to have to reevaluate their bloated sizes and designs and streamline them to fit into alternative Internet devices like iPhones, other smartphones, PDAs, and all those web browsers that they keep shoving on refrigerators and microwaves.
I agree with you both. To me Web2.0 was defined by the technology first and our progressive, flexible, extensible and, most importantly, responsible use of that technology.
However, during that “era” of Web2.0, there did emerge a specific design style that can be attributed with that moment in time as it related to the web. I wrote an article back in early 2006 about the definition of “Web2.0″: Web 2.0 redefined with one word — responsibility.
Simply put, I saw it as:
“The era we live in today is a time of “Responsible Design”. We live in a time where designs are not limited to right-angle corners because that is all the CSS border attribute allows. No longer do we need rely or even wait on page refreshes for simple user-server interactions. The foundation for design and development has been laid and whether we like it or not, the masses have termed that foundation “Web 2.0”. It is to us to ensure adoption of these base foundational requirements are utilized and implemented in a responsible and user-centric manner – today is the day we reshape the future.”
Web 2.0 was not about the design as much as it was about the technology behind it. Web 2.0 was all about networks and web based tools. web 2.0 design grew out of the need for a more shiny UI for these applications.
frankly, I do not get how wall paper backgrounds help usability, I find them ugly as heck.
I do not know what will be dubbed as web 3.0, but it will be based on some sort of new tech being placed on the web and the UI will evolve from 2.0 looks to compliment UI needs.
I agree with that on all counts. Wallpapers are generally pretty ugly — sometimes they do help connote a nice warm home feel or vintage feel — but only when used subtly and elegantly.
I agree that the design world will not define web3.0 but will adapt to it, when it comes. Shifts in design trends usually adapt to emerging technologies that allow designers to push the limits of their designs or at least give them a reason for change.
I use to think like you Adam, but working in Photoshop makes designing the sight a lot easier. you can draw your vision and then try and meet that as best you can using Xhtml/CSS, though I do use images a lot because flat colors make a page look like garbage. If you want to avoid photoshop, you need to go real bare bones on the design, which can be a good thing (look at “the scripts” for a hint of what I mean.)
Well, I don’t use no images at all, I just try to use them sparingly.
I’m at the point now where I actually design from the database up. Figure out what kinda of data scheme I need, then shove that on the page via php or whatever, then move it around with the xhtml so that it’s organized nice, then play with the CSS to make it look pretty.
Playing devils advocate, I think these sorts of comments prove the need for the separation of UI/Visual Design and Back-end programming. The two great minds working together to produce something amazing — and not letting either personal stance on the area not of their expertise influence the end product.
web 2.5 looks like an Apple iWeb page.
HA HA. Yes! I would agree with that. Hell, I’d say that web2.0 was directly influenced by the Apple brand — in many parts. I do think the clean Apple look on the web arrived at the beginning of the web2.0 design era — so did they kick it off or did they hire the right design team to lead the beginning of a revolution that didn’t start but could shape and influence by their large world-wide brand known for design?
welcome to silverlight
Don’t get me started on Silverlight … that is whole series of posts … I’ll pass.
Very interesting article and congrats for your redesign.
I also loved the Elliot Jay’s website!
I agree … Elliot’s site is amazing, he is a great designer; he inspires the hell out of me. Just my little rant based on his presentation.
Absolutely love your site! My site is not up yet. Looking for ideas when I landed on your site. Would love to have this type of site. It’s fun and friendly. Very easy on the eyes. Where do I sign up?
Lee, thank you for the compliment! Very much appreciated.
To all wondering, “where do I sign upi” — the answer would be at nclud.
wow, looks like the new Viget redesign took your original post as gospel, except i’m not positive they fully grasped your irony.
of course, that begs the question: does a shop that wants to attract new business that may “demand” this look or that look have to conform to what their targets market may like, personal opinions of their work be damned?
i suppose every boy band singer and big-hollywood screenwriter had to make such a choice, huh?
@Larry .. I’ve heard some similar observations. “Web2.5″ is definitely a trend, good or bad.
It is debatable … do you create what is new and innovative to prove something to yourself and the community or do you do what is “sexy” by creating what you know will be well received because it is a highly used trend.
With respect to the Viget redesign … I will say I like it a lot and think it is a great direction for them with respect to their old site. I also really love the 4 labs (blog) execution that I do think is risky but highly unique and creative.
[…] Express lands upon us, Web 2.5 style! Love the fact that I’m seeing HTTP-requests to api.photoshop.com, opens up some […]
“Web 2.0″ is all about the concept, not about design or technology. I’ve been getting sick with the hype of “Web 2.0 design style”, it just doesn’t work for me. Trends come and go, good designers know how to make good designs, without relying on the hype.
The restyling of your site is really nice. Darker background is easier for my eyes, the combination of green and dark blue is great. To me, it’s Martin 2.5, not web 2.5 :p
@Min Tran,
Oh, the “2.5″ design style is definitely here and apparently it is the “future of web design”. Just read my second to last paragraph and now go to http://www.futureofwebdesign.com — I basically described the future to a “T”; slightly amazing.
I wonder if Elliot Jay Stocks will have a “destroy the web2.5″ presentation this year?
On your blog’s comment form the “Your Name” arrow points to the Website field.
:)
[…] “the design style is really a re-emergence of the pre-web standards era of the late nineties&#… […]
Web 3.0 may arrive far longer than we expect.
I like your ‘Web 2.5′ design on the blog; I predict Web 3.0 design to be pseudo-photorealistic though.
Brilliant 2.5 bring it on
Wedding Entertainment
Just a few words to Elliot Jay Stock and his presentation “Destroy the web2.0 look”.
1. Have a look at his own website. He mixes the also overly used grungy style (the background) with Web 2.0 elements (e. g. the footer links). To me that doesn’t look as being “ahead” of something or somebody - and neither does it go particulary well together on one page.
2. The Web 2.0 was perfect for it’s time and audience and many users still love the view and feel of it.
I agree, though, that for the designers it’s time to m ove on. I’m searching the web for future trends in design and layout since a while now but besides the grunge themes, handwritten notes (which you also use - and me too - I love the handmade feel of this sites), frayed paper-backgrounds, etc. there doesn’t seem to be much going on right now.
3. I agree that Elliot is a great designer but I hate the know-all manner some of the very well established “masters of the web” developed.
Ruana, Webdesigner from Austria.