Debate - Design Is Dead!

Welcome to another SitePoint debate! This time, two passionate authors argue over one of the great mysteries of the Internet: Is Design Dead? Don't forget to read the opposing viewpoint so you can make up your own mind...

Web Design is Dead! End of story... but was it ever really alive? That is the question.

I'm sure this statement will easily set off salvos of spirited debate within two distinct camps we've all come to know well in our strange little IT world: Web designer versus Web developer. Will anything be solved? Not likely... but it always makes for good fireworks (pun intended).

I consider myself a Web Developer, that is, someone who not only designs Web pages, but programs them, secures them, and hosts them, etc. The Web Designer, in my opinion, is basically a graphics and layout person concerned primarily with "the look" of a site. And this is where I base my argument, and definition of design: as far as creative artistic innovation is concerned, whether it's on the Web, in print, or in any other media format, design is dead.

Now, both a developer and a designer share a common goal in that they need to present an attractive and usable Website to a given target audience. These two components, attractiveness and usability, are compulsory components of any site that hopes for success. They also need to exist in crucial balance with one another according to the needs of the target audience. If a site is too pretty, too stylish, or too avant-garde etc., it will likely turn off many users, especially the millions of novice to intermediate users that comprise the bulk of today's Internet surfers. However, as these people become more Web-savvy, they'll demand a degree of quality, efficiency, or authenticity from their Web pages that only a polished and professional looking site can offer -- especially when it comes to ecommerce capability. If the site involves too much "clutter" or distraction, or presents too great a learning curve for users just to know the basics, visitors of all skill levels will leave -- and leave fast (I know I sure do).

Therefore, once this balance between usability and "polish" is reached, I believe that there commences a type of "law of diminishing returns" as far as the design or look of the site is concerned. For example, only in very exclusive artistic circles, or perhaps an image-based industry such as film, TV, or advertising, will any type of intricate or elaborate design structure be valued and appreciated. For most of today's Web surfers, with their ever-decreasing attention spans and equally unimpressive Web connections, Web content must attract their attention -- yes -- but also be familiar enough for instant use. If it's not, they're gone. And again, even the skilled Web user from a niche target audience is more than likely to leave a quickly if the pages don't provide substance over flash (pun again intended).

So I will give design its "props" in terms of establishing an efficient, well laid out structure for information presentation; however, Web design as a form of establishing a unique creative vision or presence is not only dead, but was never really alive to begin with.

From its infancy, the Internet was a way for people to share in information efficiently. Now I'll admit that the Web is a different medium than print or TV, and there were specific design principles that arose to take advantage of this new communications tool. However, like all good fundamentals, these principles don't change. They've remained virtually static for years -- and will continue to do so, despite claims to the contrary made by the design community. Again, let me preface this argument by saying my point of view is from my North American/Western European perspective, so I freely admit that an argument from another culture has the potential to shoot my theory full of holes... But by the same token, this is a perspective from the region in which the Internet originated, along with many other powerful media formats as we know them today.

Successful design principles and user behavior patterns from these other media formats were integrated to provide a basis for Web page design and development when the Web was young. These fundamentals are plainly evident in two of the most widely used and respected Web designces available: The Web Style Guide from Yale University, and Jakob Neilson's Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity.

The Web Style Guide is an excellent resource, illustrating the need for a consistent and familiar layout that is in tune with how we human beings process information, especially from within the confines of a Web browser. Jakob Neilson takes this basic premise and elaborates on how important it is to use tried and true design methods, or risk losing your audience. For example, in an article from his "Alertbox" of July 2000 he specifically points out that "Websites must tone down their individual appearance and distinct design in all ways: visual design, terminology and labeling, interaction design and workflow, information architecture". Nielson argues, and I agree, that this is necessary because of four main trends that need to be addressed by a site's design:

1. the user's experience,


2. the mobile Internet,


3. network computing, and


4. syndicated content and services.

The one common element that all these trends share is that they demand standard conventions and simplistic design principles that will not confuse or overwhelm either an end-user, or a new hardware/software innovation.

Also, what was once considered 'design' is now being built into the browser as functionality (e.g. back buttons, bookmarks, email/media tools, etc). The actual pages that make up a Website are increasingly concerned only with the display of content -- a task that requires no artistic creativity, and benefits greatly from standardized and efficient presentation. This trend is obvious in many situations, such as the deprecation of older HTML tags in favor of the standardized XHTML, CSS, XML, and other coding technologies and practices.

There are many who'll argue that, with the rapid increase in new cable TV channels/outlets, magazines, and Websites, our society and media choices are becoming more complex and sophisticated. Supporters believe that, as such, each medium requires a new level of specialization targeted specially to the niche markets that it addresses. This is the 21st Century, after all. We'll need newer and more innovative designs to continually illuminate and drive this media explosion, right? Wrong!