Category Archives: Web Design

One modest browser proposal

One modest browser proposal: Since linking to the home page via the logo is more a useful convention than a design standard ? or even an expected feature by users ? and the “Home” button in the browser is often used/confused by users trying to get the home page of the site, why not create a button in the browser that distinguishes the two? Have one button called “My Home”, which is the site the browser loads to by default, and a “Site Home” button which brings users to home of the web site being viewed. It could be specified by the developer in a meta tag, or default to the root of the domain if such a tag isn’t coded.

mouseover != interactive

Some people think the only thing required to deem a web site as “interactive” is to have mouseovers. While I agree that there is a facet of interaction design regarding visual elements changing over time or by user interaction (or by both), stopping at such a minute point sounds so limiting to me. Either way, in my mind mouseovers are a visual design element, not an interaction design element. To truly be “interactive” requires so much more than having a strong visual aesthetic and/or just showing the user where their mouse is. What about taking advantage of the digital medium, metaphors, rhythm, pace, order, time, space, narrative, depth of field, dynamics, or a more direct communication? Does anyone truly accomplish any of these well (or at all?) in a corporate environment? Is it really limited to places like experimental web sites and the Codex Series?