Their argument? CSS and HTML have paved the way for boring and unattractive blogs. They prove this by designing their blog like a magazine, and profiling other web folks who do the same. It's very pretty, but it's also a very, very bad idea.
Here is a problem with a lot of designers today: they are too busy trying to break the rules of the Web, instead of finding ways to create good design within them.
I understand a blog post is boring and un-magazine like. But here are some reasons why that's more than okay:
1. RSS Readers - if you're writing it, people are reading it with the HTML and design stripped straight out.
2. Mobile - They may be reading your post on a Pre, iPhone, or DROID. You think they'll appreciate your fancy-pants design when they can't even load the post?
3. Netbooks - The newest comer to the web scene, these mini-monsters will barely show a line of text in the way Smashing Magazine has it designed.
No, I'm afraid I must call foul on Smashing Magazine and writer Paddy Donnelly. Which saddens me, because we have a wiki full of their design tips for web.
What's more? These are blog posts, we are not meant to treat them as evergreen. Part of the beauty of blogging is that it is near-instantaneous (not as quick as Twitter, I'll grant you) but we shouldn't be wasting our design resources on blog posts. Blog posts are about ideas and opinions. Save the high design for the blog surrounding those words and thoughts.
Designers need to stop fighting wars against usability. If you read the comment in the bottom of the post, you will see that already two people have complained that the post isn't usable.
And forgive me if I say this, but:
IF YOUR DESIGN ISN'T USABLE, THEN IT ISN'T GOOD DESIGN.
Ya dig? I don't care how pretty the font is or how everything lines up or if you spent all day working on getting the rags and widows out. If a user comes to the page, does nothing, bounces, or complains, your design has failed failed failed.
Dear Designers: the web works in a certain way for a certain reason. Millions of people are accessing its content via different browsers, different operating systems, differnt content providers, and different connection speeds.
The web is not a magazine, and that's the point. Look at which one keeps folding publications and begging for ad revenue.
Data designers are the new DJ's. Ok, maybe not but increasing demand and polish given to data sets by designers to help us consume more data online I believe to be one factor in the increased interest in visual thinking. Topics: , , , , , , information_architecture, social_networking, strategy5 CommentsRead Full Post
