Destroy The “Web 2.0 Look” by Elliot Jay Stocks elliotjaystocks.com/fowd

We have a problem... or two

We have a problem... or two
Problem 01: a design problem

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours
‘Special offer’ badges

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours
‘Special offer’ badges
Gloss / sheen

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours
‘Special offer’ badges
Gloss / sheen
Bevelled edges

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours
‘Special offer’ badges
Gloss / sheen
Bevelled edges
Gradients

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours
‘Special offer’ badges
Gloss / sheen
Bevelled edges
Gradients
Diagonal lines

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours
‘Special offer’ badges
Gloss / sheen
Bevelled edges
Gradients
Diagonal lines
Soft-focus effects (subtle outer glow)

What do people consider to be the “Web 2.0 Look”?
Vibrant, high contrast colours
‘Special offer’ badges
Gloss / sheen
Bevelled edges
Gradients
Diagonal lines
Soft-focus effects (subtle outer glow)
REFLECTED LOGO!!!

From now on:

From now on:
You’re only allowed to use a logo reflection if your company name has the word ‘reflect’ in it.

Where did it come from?

Where did it come from?
The undisputed shiny kings of sheen:

Where did it come from?
The undisputed shiny kings of sheen: Apple.

Where did it come from?
The undisputed shiny kings of sheen: Apple.
Apple have used this look with subtlety and its portrayal is always in a constant state of evolution.

Where did it come from?
The undisputed shiny kings of sheen: Apple.
Apple have used this look with subtlety and its portrayal is always in a constant state of evolution.
Tweaking and modifying popular design aesthetics is the only way to avoid cliche.

Where did it come from?
The undisputed shiny kings of sheen: Apple.
Apple have used this look with subtlety and its portrayal is always in a constant state of evolution.
Tweaking and modifying popular design aesthetics is the only way to avoid cliche.
In time, even the best ideas will become cliched when over-used.

Big name designers...

Big name designers...

Big name designers...
... are not bowing down to trends.

Big name designers...
... are not bowing down to trends.
Take note: if the world’s best and most original designers are avoiding cliches, there is

Big name designers...
... are not bowing down to trends.
Take note: if the world’s best and most original designers are avoiding cliches, there is a) a reason

Big name designers...
... are not bowing down to trends.
Take note: if the world’s best and most original designers are avoiding cliches, there is a) a reason, and b) a technique.

‘Make My Logo Bigger’ cream makemylogobiggercream.com

‘Make My Logo Bigger’ cream makemylogobiggercream.com
It highlights the serious issue that non-creative clients often have too much power over designers.

‘Make My Logo Bigger’ cream makemylogobiggercream.com
It highlights the serious issue that non-creative clients often have too much power over designers.
It’s up to designers to assert their role in a project.

We have a problem... or two
Problem 01: a design problem
Problem 02: a conceptual problem

The web design recruitment industry

The web design recruitment industry

The web design recruitment industry, senior management

The web design recruitment industry, senior management, and marketers

The web design recruitment industry, senior management, and marketers
If Web 2.0 translates as successful business, who cares what it really means?

The web design recruitment industry, senior management, and marketers
If Web 2.0 translates as successful business, who cares what it really means?
Following trends is often profitable.

The web design recruitment industry, senior management, and marketers
If Web 2.0 translates as successful business, who cares what it really means?
Following trends is often profitable.
Misunderstanding arrives because of the removal from the ‘doing’ process.

Tim O’Reilly’s article about
Web 2.0 tinyurl.com/y3uhod
Web 1.0
DoubleClick
Ofoto
Akamai mp3.com
Britannica Online personal websites evite domain name speculation page views screen scraping publishing content management systems directories (taxonomy) stickiness
Web 2.0
Google AdSense
Flickr
BitTorrent
Napster
Wikipedia blogging upcoming.org and EVDB search engine optimization cost per click web services participation wikis tagging ("folksonomy") syndication

Jesse James Garrett’s article about AJAX tinyurl.com/29nlsm
“Ajax isn’t a technology. It’s really several technologies, each flourishing in its own right, coming together in powerful new ways. Ajax incorporates:
• standards-based presentation using XHTML and CSS;
• dynamic display and interaction using the Document Object Model;
• data interchange and manipulation using XML and XSLT;
• asynchronous data retrieval using XMLHttpRequest;
• and JavaScript binding everything together.”

Web 2.0 on Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2
Web 2.0 refers to a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services which aim to facilitate collaboration and sharing between users.
Although the term suggests a new version of the World
Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use the internet.

When was
mentioned?

When was
mentioned?
It wasn’t.

Web 2.0 is not a design aesthetic

Web 2.0 is not a design aesthetic is not a design aesthetic is not a design aesthetic is not a design aesthetic is not a design aesthetic is not a design aesthetic is not a design aesthetic is not a design aesthetic.

Or is it?

Or is it?
There are some benefits to referring to it as an aesthetic rather than a concept.

Or is it?
There are some benefits to referring to it as an aesthetic rather than a concept.
But ultimately this leads to false understanding.

Conclusion

Conclusion
Design cliches will always exist. Understand why the exist, for whom they exist, and how to avoid them.

Conclusion
Design cliches will always exist. Understand why the exist, for whom they exist, and how to avoid them.
Incorporating current trends into your work can be a very good move, but add a dash of originality too.

Conclusion
Design cliches will always exist. Understand why the exist, for whom they exist, and how to avoid them.
Incorporating current trends into your work can be a very good move, but add a dash of originality too.
Learn from the best - don’t rely on the flock to provide inspiration. Adapt continuously.

Conclusion
Design cliches will always exist. Understand why the exist, for whom they exist, and how to avoid them.
Incorporating current trends into your work can be a very good move, but add a dash of originality too.
Learn from the best - don’t rely on the flock to provide inspiration. Adapt continuously.
Educate the masses that the “Web 2.0 Look” is a meaningless term. Web 2.0 is a concept...
... not a design aesthetic.

elliotjaystocks.com/fowd