Web Design Done Well
A great deal of web design talk issues itself with what goes on around material. Page speed, style systems, search engine optimization, structures, ease of access-- the list goes on and on. This provides us at Smashing Magazine plenty to write about, which is excellent, though it's worth reminding ourselves what it's all in service of.
In this third edition of our Web Design Done Well series, we're honing in on the pounding heart of numerous sites: material. More specifically, editorial material. The Web has actually provided writers an unbelievable choice of tools to deal with, and as a periodic semi-competent journalist myself, I love a great scoop.
What follows are examples of web innovations being woven in with editorial content to take it to the next level. We'll then close with broader pointers on believing artistically about digital content. Even now, overwhelmed by the content production line, the excellent things still shines through.
We reside in a mobile-first world. There is no point in being precious about this. Yes, magazine spreads have a particular class about them. Yes, a desktop view gives you a bigger canvas to work with. The truth is most people will be viewing what you release on a mobile phone, so lean into it. For a similar technique, these 'tap stories' by The New York Times and Input are also excellent. For those interested in further reading on mobile-centric editorial, The Story by legendary paper designer Mario Garcia is heartily suggested.
The New York Times Shows Rather Than Tells #
For all the horrible things the COVID-19 pandemic has actually caused, it has actually at least led to some breathtakingly good reporting. This interactive New York Times piece discusses how face masks work by taking readers to particle level. You can see how fibers capture particles, and why different masks have various levels of efficiency. Any fool can make complicated subjects hard to understand, however making them easy to understand? That's an art form all of its own.
There are a great deal of elements at play here. Graphics, color, animation-- there's even an augmented truth experience if that floats your boat. What might so quickly have been a dry, stuffy topic is brought to life. And most notably of all, it's important details. Things like this is why Gabriel Gianordoli was voted World's Best Designer at the 2020 Society for News Design awards. Smashing.
The Washington Post Visualises Exponential Spread #
The pandemic has also required information visualization to the front pages of publications all over the world. This article on exponential spreading from March 2020 (remember that?) does an extraordinary job of visualizing how and why certain viruses become real huge issues real quick. From full-blown simulations to little inline sparkline charts, this is editorial that takes full advantage of its digital setting.
What I specifically like about this one is that it never feels unjustified. Every visual improves the story, to the point where you almost sympathize with anyone needing to describe the very same principles with words alone. It being available in more than a dozen languages at the click of a button is another terrific touch-- a tip that the Web is in reality borderless. I can just envision how many people worldwide this post has actually helped.
The Marshall Project Mixes Media #
Here The Marshall Project provides compelling journalism about the US criminal justice system with the sophistication and bittersweet appeal of a kids's storybook. In "The Zo", creative writing, striking illustration, mesmerizing narration, and an essential story integrate. This is multimedia editorial in full flow.
They state that songs can take several types. The very same holds true of editorial content online. What you see above was inspired by a 96-page academic paper. That it could discover a new audience as an animated series online, then be nominated for not one however two Emmys, is testimony to the transformative powers of the internet.
SBS's Interactive Graphic Novel Is No Novelty #
Mentioning the transformative powers of the web, how about an interactive story. We're all acquainted with movie adaptations, radio play adjustments, miniseries adjustments, and so on. Why not web page adaptations? That's just what Australian broadcaster SBS set out to do with The Boat, an interactive retelling of a narrative in Nam Le's book of the same name.
The page's opening series pulls you right in, its words tilting and tumbling with the waves as you check out, with the sounds of thunder and rain filling your senses to the brim. As the story settles, Matt Huynh's illustrations drift by like memories. It's an incredibly vibrant experience, beautiful in its own right in addition to a smart way to bring literature to more youthful generations.
The Pudding Monkeys Around #
I wish I 'd stumble upon this in time for the sound edition of this motivating websites series. No matter, it's here now. In a really outstanding display of digital editorial, The Pudding doesn't a lot explain the Infinite Monkey Theorem as live it through music. Do not know what the Monkey Theorem is? Well, what are you waiting for, the page will do a considerably much better job of discussing than I could. I'll wait.
By using interactive four-note examples, the short article involves the reader while likewise making the concept easy to comprehend. As a final, delightful touch, the page is itself a live, continuous experiment, randomly working its way through progressively complicated tunes. You can expect it to get "Seven Nation Army" right in about 19 years. One questions whether a monkey typing at a keyboard for long enough might create the perfect JavaScript structure. Hope springs everlasting.
A List Apart: A Class Apart #
For all the talk of information visualization, music, augmented reality, and other classy tools, there's a lot to be said for getting the basic right. Pages do not need to be the web equivalent of the Vegas Strip to be captivating. A list Apart shows that better than the majority of. Its method to content will constantly hold a location in my heart. Title, illustration, copy, blue links. Beautiful.
What I now understand was an unsettlingly long period of time back, I blogged about the two branches of 'brutalist' website design. The gist of what I stated was that a person approach is loud and brash, the other resolutely functional. A List Apart reveals the beauty of the latter done right. The multimedia toolkit is a wonderful asset to have, but even now there are times when just words will do.
Thinking Creatively About Content #
For better or even worse, the web is definitely awash with content. A great deal of it is fantastic, a great deal of it is not. A great deal of the talk around it has the cold, computing cadence you 'd quicker get out of industrialists discussing assembly lines. The examples shared above hopefully speak to the worth of withstanding the desire to churn things out, but let's be real: most sites do not have the resources of, state, The Washington Post.
There are methods to think creatively about material at all levels, from personal blog sites to global publications. Here are a few of them:
Concern your default technique.
We are animals of habit, including in how we inform our stories. Make the effort early on to go back and ask, How could I do this in a different way? Possibly a picture essay would be more prudent than an article. Maybe a heat map is much better than a table. Specialization is very important obviously, but do not let it blind you to other, typically complementary ways of doing things.
Use complimentary resources.
One of the terrific gifts of the internet is just how much remarkable free things there is. Like, actually totally free, on purpose. From photography to graphic design to information visualization tools to audio editing software application, the resources you require to transform your content are simply a click away. Our giveaways tag is a good place to begin.
Give content several kinds.
As The Marshall Project showed especially well with "The Zo", stories can discover brand-new audiences when they take different shapes. Composed an article? Great, why not tape-record an audio version? Produced a data-driven report? Pretty cool, though is it as cool as it might be if you began plugging those numbers into D3? Only one way to discover.
Experiment.
The examples here are the cream of the crop, but it's worth discussing there is a tremendous total up to be gotten from trying originalities and embracing the periodic failure that brings. Model is essential to the creative procedure. If you attempt something and it doesn't work, fine, no matter. It's the only method to get to what does work.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to material, however appreciating the story is important. Web innovations are extra, not the main event. Do not let them be the tail that wags the canine. The very best results come when the story agrees with how it's informed. That's the kind of content that https://ionline.com.au/web-development/ sticks to individuals for several years.
