Is This the End of Good Design?
Presented by The Design Gnome
Our industry has changed dramatically within the last few years. It used to be you had to actually be able to make good design choices. Now, with the advent of CSS3, it’s even easier to copy trends than ever before. 1px white shadows? We got them. Let’s explore this dramatic change in design on the web. Are you ready? Then let’s go!
Back a decade or so ago, in order to be a web designer, your had to be a trend setter. Nobody else had come to the internet before them, so you had to walk your own path. There were no standards, no rules. Web design was only an infant as an industry, so it wasn’t even considered to be a type of design yet!
Before services like Twitter and LinkedIn, not only did designers have to be really talented, they also had to be able to market themselves through archaic systems like word of mouth, or even, *gasp,* snail mail. Networking with other designers was close to impossible, and finding paying clients was a pain.
At the dawn of the internet, starting a website was an investment. All right, maybe it wasn’t hugely expensive, but hosting costs have certainly gone down since then. At the beginning, services like WordPress or Tumblr didn’t exist. Everybody had to have at least a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS before being able to throw their thoughts onto the web.
Less than 20 years ago, starting a web design business was far from an easy thing! There were no standards, technology was hugely unsupported, but people still managed to create beautiful designs that are still used today. The web designers of yesterday really set the bar high for us to meet. I’m sad to say though, that I don’t think we’ve met it.
Today, for whatever reason, we still use these paths. The sad truth of the matter is that right now, a huge amount of designers are just copying the people who came before us. The rare person who does something unique is immediately copied by so called web designers everywhere. Every time something new is invented, within weeks its been completely milked dry.
Now it’s easier than ever to gain fame on the internet, even without being very talented. I really don’t want to say it, but now it’s just too simple to amass a following on Twitter or similar sites. Of course, you still have to be interesting, but it’s not really about design talent any more, it it?
Now, well. Do I really even need to say how easy making a website is? I think you already know what the answer is.
In the year 2010, it costs next to nothing, and thanks to services like Tumblr, you can be up and running in minutes. You don’t need to be amazing, and it’s super-easy to market yourself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we were any better off in the 90′s, just that there are far greater numbers of designers now who just follow the trends without contributing anything.
Now, this isn’t to say that all the technology we have access to today is a bad thing, just that people had to find more ways to be creative before the technology existed. Obviously people now still have to find fairly unique ways to create some effects, but overall, it’s much simpler today.
It’s not that I think people are less talented today, just that designers as a community have lost the fundamental concepts of design. Color, shape, balance. All the things that make a design work, whether in print or on the screen. People have been tricked into thinking that web design is somehow different in its concepts from print. It’s not. The same fundamental ideas that make a design great in print are still what makes a design great on the web.
In order to be heard in this over-crowded industry, you have to respect the underlying rules of design, as well as add a little something of your own. Since the beginning of web design, the overall quality of the design work being put out has gone down significantly, with only the very occasional original idea appearing.
so,
Is this the end of good design?
Yes.
In recent months, I’ve observed that designers everywhere are upping their game. They’re noticing that in order to be seen in our industry, you need to be a trend setter. More and more unique designs and styles are emerging every day, and I think it’s great.
Designers are bucking the trends that have been followed for years, and started to experiment with original styles, all while conforming to the essential design ideas.
If this is the end of good design, I’m starting to wonder…
Is this the beginning of great design?
Yes.
I think it is.
Off topic: This was the first art-directed post on The Design Gnome. What did you think? Is there anything we could do better next time? Leave us a comment down below so we can improve for the next one!
This is a very interesting point of view. Your blog is refreshing, but I wish one could find more content, though. I am looking forward to reading more from you. Keep up the good work. thanks.
Well… “Is this the end of good design?” “Yes” “Is this the beginning of great design?” “Yes” – Magic Words.
Thanks!
Looks good. Maybe you could integrate the header in the next art-directed post.
Thanks! Maybe I’ll try that in the next one!
A good effort Max, I can see you are trying to stand out, but I must point out the following… You need to proof-read before publishing, you have several spelling mistakes.
Another point I must make is this, you talk about how the industry has changed in 10 and 20 years. You state your a young designer, you look young. So what credentials and experience do you feel you possess, to comment on the “dawn of the internet”?
Copying design has been around long before the internet, its how designs are found. If I had a design copied, I would see it as a compliment. Do people not compliment on Dribbble or Forrst and then recreate versions with their own designs? Of course they do. They are called trends. They happen naturally and out of good thoughts, designs are imitated because of someone liking a design. ( for the most part ).
It appears to me that you are worried about designs being copied. But you have done that in this very post. Your background image is very similar to popular designs used today. The same is true for your slanted alternating background.
“Since the beginning of web design, the overall quality of the design work being put out has gone down significantly”
As you stated, Tumblr, WordPress and other sites now make it easy to create websites. That was the idea of Web 2.0. The whole idea of it was to embrace user generated content. Make it easy for designers, developers, artists, writers, etc to show their content to the world. This is not a bad thing and if you want to make it as a developer/designer you need to realise this, because its only going to get more and more oversaturated.
You can’t fight it and by showing your hatred for it, and appearing to want to back to the 90′s really won’t help you in your career.
I would also like to point out that your main front page, looks alot like Forrst’s front page.
That dude just owned you.
I do agree with Carl.
Though I wouldn’t say he owned you. You’re young, yes. I’ve seen designs like this, yes.
But then I’ve also heard a thousand song which sounds like Wonderwall by Oasis. There’s nothing wrong with that. What I would like to see, on the other hand, is your thoughts from you own, young, perspective. I could just as well have been reading a post from Zeldman.
Let me know what those sites are that makes you excited instead! Nevermind (pun intended) the 90′s!
@carl +1
Hi there!
Really nice stuff you have here. What appears quite relevant to me is that you don’t have a navigation bar on the top of this post/site. For me – crucial. As a lazy person I don’t know if I am still that curious and interested to edit the address in my browser window.
Anyways, congratulations on your interview on web designer wall
I think all you guys need to watch this excellent series called “Everything is a Remix”. Just Google it.