Simply Getting the Job Done
Visual design on the web does not have to be so busy and complex. It’s interesting to see some designers’ work, and how much they try so hard to add literal and visual appeal to convey a message. Sometimes, a design does not need all of the access visuals. So much can be conveyed through keeping things simple.
I have always been a fan of simplicity, and many great designers that I pay attention to have some of the simplest websites, yet they communicate so much. The designs are not complicated, the sites are easy to navigate, and the hierarchy of information is very straight forward. In otherwords, I don’t have to try hard to figure out where the hell to go, and what is more important that the rest.
You can never say enough, that websites are about the content. The more people try to get websites to “look cool” the more that is detracting from the user focus on what’s more important. Websites are supposed to be ease to use and get around, as well as nice to look at. You don’t need your website to get you coffee, make you a sandwich, and get you the paper. No, that’s too much. You just need to present content. Not hard right?
If you are a designer, I think a good exercise would be to see how much of a message you could convey, with very minimal design. Maybe this is something that I will try myself also. But if done right, you shouldn’t need a million graphics with literal meanings. You shouldn’t need tons of colors, flash, ajax effects, etc.
If done right, your layout/grid, IA, typography, and writing will present the message clear as day. That is good and simple design to me. Of course one or two graphics don’t hurt! 
11 Comments
When you say ‘good design’ it depends on who your website is aiming at and what it wants to convay. The three examples you specified are indeed excellent examples of good design, but for a site selling extreme clothing and gear for example they wouldnt work, and subsequently become examples of bad design. However one universal truth that you identify well in this article is that simplicity is key; perhaps not in graphics (quantity, etc), but in easy of use. Users should be able to move around a site completely unhindered and without confusion. Anything less is moving towards bad design.
Steve, I know exactly what you mean. It really depends on the context of the assignment. I’m just saying that sometimes all the bells and whistles are really not needed.
One of the things I read about in Getting Real by 37signals is that they design from the most important feature of the page outwards. They don’t start with the header, or the background colour of a page. They start with, say, the design of a blog post or the design of the list in Basecamp, then the rest will follow. These small tricks can make a good designer into a great one.
Try reading their book, it’s rather good and it’s also online for free now! http://gettingreal.37signals.com/
Rik, it’s funny that you mention that because I just finished reading that book about a week and a half ago, and it was one of the most useful things I’ve read.
I love their approach to how they create products.
I agree, it’s good but it tends to be a bit preachy and condescending. I suppose it’s one of the downfalls of ‘fame’. They make great products but there’s no need to be so arrogant about them all the time!
I didn’t get a sense of arrogance from it, but definitely lots of confidence! I guess I’d rather see them be confident in a really good product over a shitty project.
I won’t elaborate on your poignant point on how simple often just is better. That’s the KISS thing, isn’t it?
You’re so right about that. I mean, look at Technorati. If I’m not mistaken, they’ve redesigned yet again. And they just can’t seem to get it right.
As a non-designer I do think I have a bit of an eye for these things and it bugs me when some site just doesn’t seem to function – visually – like it should.
As for the examples you linked to, it strikes me – on a first quick glance – how black & white seems to be coming back. Big bright whites and even some serif headings, not unlike the way it all began – with newspapers. I thought that funny. Maybe it’s the first signs of a new visual style for the web?
It’s a little hard to say whether it is a new visual style for the web, but it does show that great design doesn’t have to be so busy with a million colors.
I love sites that are black and white, and for some reason it helps me focus on the structure of the page alot more.
I agree with you most of the way because some of the sites I see are really cluttered or they have forgotten to pay close attention to things like spacing, and white space etc etc… Sometimes I’ll see a site that is almost unreadable.
Nice post.
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