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Starting at 1.0.
The World Wide Web was created in 1989 and has changed the world. The role of interconnectivity in society has changed completely. Information can now be accumulated in unprecedented amounts.
As Azimov so elegantly hypothesized in "The Final Question," the barrier separating the human brain from the artificial singularity has shrunk. Both the internet and site design have changed over time. Together with the development of the internet, web design evolved through three distinct phases: 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0.
1.0
Web 1.0 is immediately recognizable. Although the design aesthetic of web 1.0 sites may seem archaic, there was a reason they looked this way. These sites were online representations of newspaper and magazine designs. Many individuals are still unaware of the internet's enormous potential.
Several businesses and individuals attempted to replicate the impractical accomplishments of print design. Today, there are numerous eye-catching web 1.0 sites available. Web 1.0 sites frequently have little interactivity and lack easily modifiable or modular components.
2.0
Web 2.0 is the most popular and easily recognizable web design. Web 2.0 is difficult to define. Web 2.0, at its core, is a wide range of defining features that are primarily based on interactivity and the accessibility of information.
The phrase was originally used in 2004 by O'Reilly Media. They desired websites that stood out from those developed following the dot-com disaster of 2000. It has been used to define the modular e-commerce design and blogging websites as well as the interactive design of social media websites.
It can be difficult to create a web 2.0 website design. Design skills that are flexible and accessible are key to success. A good branding company that has experience in web design will help you create a strong public image for your company online.
You can also purchase a domain with modular site creation tools if you don't wish to take that route.
3.0
Web 3.0 is a new field. Most people view it as a progression of information optimization notions, even though it is still in its infancy. New design fads are emerging to support web 3.0's features.
A nice illustration of a web 3.0 app is Siri from Apple. Even though Siri isn't a typical website, it may be used to search for websites and other services.
The design of Siri is understated yet omnipresent. It optimizes information collection by using algorithms to foresee the user's future information needs. Its design relies on visual cues to indicate Intelligence and humanity.
The Early Days of Web Design
(1991-1994)
For the Swiss scientific facility CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), Tim Berners-Lee developed the first website on the World Wide Web. The fundamental CERN website is still accessible. It was developed to disseminate knowledge to further researchers.
In addition to being recognized as the first web developer, Berners-Lee also created HTML, which he used to write the CERN website. Berners-Lee established the World Wide Web Consortium, which is in charge of managing the creation of web standards. HTML was the first web design language.
The function was the only way of organizing information. Data was assigned to rows and columns. There were no color blocks, images, or graphics. Just text. This is a far cry from the "web design" we currently consider.
The World Wide Web kept expanding, and in 2002, the first search engine for it was established. A website called ALIWEB (Archie Like Indexing of the Web) categorized connections under the headings of computers, entertainment and lifestyle, money newsstand, recreation, research, and shopping.
Aliweb Also Used A New Organization Method: Color.
The categories were distinguished by the yellow backdrop, which also made it simple for users to find what they were looking for. Like the original website, ALIWEB is still accessible today. To access BMW's current website, simply click the "BMW" link under the Car category.
With the rise in websites, the idea of using website design to accomplish commercial objectives expanded. Landing pages were first developed in 1993. They had colored invitations to join up or enter by clicking here.
The web banner ad was invented by Hotwire, now known as Wired Magazine. The text on it read, "Have you ever clicked your mouse right there?" It was published in 1994. You'll do. Brilliant.
The popularity of websites soared in the 1990s. 1991: a single website. By 1994, there were 2,738 websites in existence. To provide some background, Jeff Bezos started Amazon.com in 1994.
Web Development: The Evolution
(1995-2000)
An effective design was required after the novelty of having a website wore off. The progress of web design and development from 1995 to 1998 would forever alter the course of web design history.
The solution is JavaScript. It was with JavaScript that design first began to set itself apart from development. The first programming language to introduce interactive effects and motion to static websites was Javascript.
HTML 2.0 was released in 1995 and supported graphics, tables, forms, and other features. Developers had more freedom to organize pages.
Web users started to expect more from their online experience as tools for development, and design became more advanced. Apple created the term "User Experience" during a computer system conference.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) were made available in 1996. They controlled the style and display of HTML-coded elements such as layout, color, and typography. Together, HTML and CSS were very potent. CSS would eventually take the place of HTML tables, except information that needed a genuine tabular presentation.
Web animation's next major item was Macromedia Flash 1.0. It was not perfect. Extensions for the Flash plugin were necessary to run animations. If not, the animation would not function. There was a significant issue with websites made completely using Flash. The labor done behind the scenes to make the animations led to a slower page load time as well.
Flash was a revolutionary tool that allowed page improvements through movement, despite its shortcomings. Flash was a valuable tool for web design and served a vital role in its history. However, Flash support was ended by Adobe on December 31, 2020, and Windows remove Flash completely from all browsers.
In 1998, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, then Stanford Ph.D. candidates, introduced Google Beta. This was a component of a study investigating the indexing of page results based on pertinent search phrases. Due to Google's prominence as a search engine, the phrase "Search Engine Optimization" gained notoriety. Companies wanted to rise in the rankings.
Because Flash animation requires a plugin extension, Google was unable to view it. Ecommerce and online payments made it possible for businesses to switch from analog to digital payments as the web became more widely available. Launched in 2000, Confinity was the name of Paypal's initial two years. In terms of online transactions, it swiftly became the leader in the sector.
(2000 - 2006)
Websites were created only for desktop browsers up until the new millennium. There were numerous concepts even if responsive web design had not yet become a reality. Around 2000, developers began producing numerous versions for various browsers and hardware.
Although technically it worked, it was difficult and time-consuming. Because browsers and devices were always evolving, updates needed to be made for each version - mobile, tablet, desktop - and every device. Triple the effort three times the time.
With the advent of blogging, websites became more popular for their business and information distribution. The importance of content management systems (CMS), which enable dynamic design and simple content upgrades, increased. The most widely used CMS was introduced in 2003, even though there were many CMSs in use in the 1990s and 2000s.
WordPress started as an open-source blogging platform. However, WordPress grew and developed steadily to become the most popular CMS in the world. WordPress powers 35.9% of today's internet.
This timeline would be negligent if it did not mention the launch of Facebook and MySpace in 2003. (2004). MySpace was founded by Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson to promote self-expression through user profiles and facilitate online connections. Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard University colleagues founded Facebook as a campus social network site. It gained huge popularity when it was made public in 2006. You already knew this.
Social media exists and enables connection and self-expression. The first to pave the way for new levels of interaction were MySpace and Facebook. Due to the demand for advertisements, widgets, graphics, and photos for social media profiles, web design was able to flourish. Social media has become a key component of successful businesses.
Read More: Web Design Made Easy With These Basic Tips
The Mobile Era
(2007 - 2010)
Let's go to 2007. Let's go to 2007. The first iPhone had just been released by Apple. It was revolutionary. The classic iPhone introduction by Steve Jobs was a success. He remarked that "we are introducing breakthrough software onto a mobile device" and added that the Safari browser was the "first fully-functional HTML browser on a smartphone."
Flash was breaking more than one rule because the iPhone did not support it. Steve Jobs penned an extensive justification titled "Thoughts on Flash" in April 2010 despite the initial lack of an official declaration. The mobile age is all about low-power devices, touch interfaces, and open web standards, all areas in which Flash fails, the author writes in the conclusion of his letter.
Apple's decision has undoubtedly had an impact on Flash's downturn and eventual demise. Mobile web experiences have become a requirement. Google would penalize your website for not being responsive five years later.
Flat Design
(2010) to Present
Web design has evolved to meet user needs. In the 2010s, web design moved away from rich design (shadows and color gradients, depth, and textures, animated gifs, flashy animations, etc.). to flat design (clean, bright colors, minimalistic, 2D icons, san-serif typography, etc. ).
Flat design was a step forward from rich design. The skeuomorphic properties in rich design gave a 3D feeling. Still, it meant that loading times were slower and pages became more noisy and busy. Flat design provided a distinctly digital feel and a clearer and more efficient user experience.
Apple and Microsoft were the first to embrace flat design. Microsoft achieved this through Windows Media Center. Apple did the same with iOS 7. This is illustrated best by comparing the iPhone 5's app icon design to the iPhone 7.
Responsive Design, Parallax Scrolling & Retina Displays (2010-2014)
The decade began with a huge increase in mobile phone use, which both visually and functionally altered the web design process. Mashable dubbed 2013 the year of responsive web design after the first experiments with responsive designs in 2010.
A responsive design was an essential feature in 2014. Traffic would drop if a website was not optimized for mobile screens. We also saw web pages that were longer and had more vertical scrolling, centralized information, large images, and larger files.
Designers were more likely to utilize minimalistic, straightforward designs because people were accustomed to scrolling on mobile browsers. More than ever before, Google's algorithm was also changing where the material is shown on web pages. The simplistic designs were given depth by using parallax scrolling.
Retina screens had a significant impact on the graphic design process as well. It is no longer true that images can only be incorporated at the proper pixel size. Images had to be 1.5-2 times larger to display clearly on these displays.
This was initially a major problem for designers. However, it became clear that larger images and CSS could be used to reduce the screen size. Images can appear brighter and cleaner.
The Future & the Present (2014-2020)
Responsive web design has been the norm over the past six years. This is not surprising considering that three-quarters of the 5.1 million mobile users around the globe use their mobile devices to access the internet.
Web designers have the opportunity to create high-quality animations, effects, and animations thanks to increasing browser support for HTML3 and HTML5.
As we have already mentioned, internet access via a mobile phone has surpassed that from a desktop or laptop in the last few years. Google's Mobile-First Index has been prioritized, ranking websites higher if they are mobile-friendly and fast.
We will continue to see simple, clean websites with clearly defined structures due to the growing trend toward mobile web usage.
Lead-Driven Web Designs
This brings us to the most important shift in web design over the past two decades: lead-driven web design. Online businesses are more prevalent than ever today.
For many, their entire existence is dependent on their website's performance. Simply put, a website that doesn't convert leads is not a business. The truth is that the websites we have seen in the past simply weren't effective for this purpose.
What's Lead-Driven Web Design?
Lead-driven web design is a data-guided approach. This design approach uses user intent, behavioral analysis, and analytical data to create web pages that convert qualified leads into customers. Traditional websites were largely used to tick boxes, and their performance was not closely monitored, at least in today's world.
Lead-driven design is a strategy that focuses on strategic tweaking rather than just a complete redesign. This improves the user experience and eliminates bottlenecks in the hopes of increasing conversions and sales.
What is Lead-Driven Design?
Three stages are required for a lead-driven approach: launch, strategy, and evolution.
Strategy This stage is the most crucial. This stage allows you to plan out what you will do to make your strategy successful. This requires deep digging and asking questions:
- What are the goals?
- What are the pain points?
- Who are the target markets?
- How can this website achieve the above?
This requires collaboration with colleagues from each department to analyze how users search and what they are looking for. The heatmap data and analytical data can be used to reveal what is hidden.
Launch The launch phase creates the initial web design that will be used. It is the ultimate goal to launch a site that is more user-friendly than the existing one. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the final product is ready. This approach requires constant improvement and tweaking and measuring the results.
The evolution phase begins after the launch. After the website has been launched and you have collected user data, it is possible to start making informed decisions to improve, enhance, and evolve the site. As the name implies, this stage involves constant development.
Lead-Driven Design Is the Future of Web Design
By 2014, a responsive design was a requirement. If a website was not mobile screen optimized, traffic would decrease. We also saw lengthier, more vertically scrolling web pages with centralized information, huge pictures, and larger downloads.
People are looking for trustworthy and genuine companies in a world where trust is low in corporations and large businesses. Attracting more leads will result in more prospective customers and, thus, more revenue online.
Users are Human
(Today)
Web design today is all about the details. It is becoming more important to provide exceptional web experiences for users. The ability to use a limitless variety of technology and techniques has made design execution more crucial than ever. The user must always be visible during all tasks.
Design thinking is a method for finding solutions that are centered on the requirements and preferences of the users for whom the design is designed. Technology use and decision-making are guided by a conscious focus on the user experience. Animations, micro-interactions, directional design, micro-personalization, etc.
All of these factors are considered when designing the best possible user experience. The practice of employing layout and information to help consumers without overwhelming them is known as directional design.
Today's animation has evolved significantly since Flash's early days. Today, tact is essential. A good example of fine detail is the lovely stripe. Simple motions add personality to the product and improve the user experience.
Little interactions or effects are known as micro-interactions. These mini-interactions can be used to boost user participation, spread brand messages, boost productivity, and display system status. Just a few examples include the scroll bar, the blue loading rings that spin, and social network "like" buttons with thumbs up.
Another example is Asana, a productivity tool. To reward your productivity, a rainbow unicorn appears on the screen when you tick off tasks from your Assigned Tasks List. It's an insignificant detail that seems a bit unnecessary, but it's something people look forward to.
Micro-interactions can also be used to refresh pages, hover buttons, and drop-down menus. These interactions enhance the user experience.
Micro-personalizations are another growing technique in web design. These could be simple efficiency strategies or more complicated strategies that use artificial Intelligence to gather user data and create a customized web experience based on the user's preferences and patterns.
This is one instance. Three demographics are served by SaaS (software-as-a-service) businesses: executives, major organizations, and start-ups. When a potential customer clicks "Request a Quotation" on the "executives" page, the submission form is micro-personalized. The form automatically picks "Executive" from the demographic drop-down menu once the Call to Action button on the executive page is clicked.
Micro-personalization is demonstrated in a more sophisticated way at a business called Path Factory. "Micro-personalize content journeys using AI" is their stated goal. Every page on your website is scanned and categorized by Path Factory. Next, based on the preferences of the users (such as how long they spend on each page and what they click), they construct customized content trains that users may employ.
The site analyzes the user's behavior and delivers the right content to them through pop-ups, videos, and other means. The information they receive is intended to educate and build confidence in the user's ability to take action. Web design today is about the user. This is a valuable lesson that we should not forget in the Future.
Future of Web Design
What's next? What will the next ten years bring to web design history?Accessibility is expected to grow for a few reasons. We have a tendency to think that because the World Wide Web is free, everyone gets access to it equally. What about people who have hearing or vision impairments? Is adding captions to videos a smart idea? Do we use a video that provides context for site navigation? This does show the issue, even though it only represents the tip of the iceberg.
Despite the enormous advancements in technology, we still fall short of the ideal. In the Future, web design must prioritize user experience and provide everyone with outstanding web experiences.
As we continue to apply artificial Intelligence to create outstanding tailored user experiences, micro-personalization is also expected to gain traction (see the Path Factory example above). This also raises privacy and ethical concerns that must be taken into consideration as we progress with AI. For example, how much personal data collection is acceptable?
2018 saw the implementation of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. The phrase "the strictest privacy and security statute in existence" has been used to describe it. Due to growing worries about breaches of personal data, this regulation was created. As long as they target or collect information on EU people, it applies to all organizations.
Technology is advancing rapidly, and privacy is vanishing, so strict guidelines regarding protecting personal information must be taken into consideration in web design and development.
Dark UX has been a growing concern in ethical terms over the last few years. Dark UX is web design that manipulates users to do something they don't want. Do you remember those annoying spam pop-ups that claimed you had won one million dollars for being the 1,000,000th visitor to a site?
Dark UX goes beyond this. This includes hidden ads, propaganda, eternal subscriptions, hidden fees, and many other things.
When we look to the Future, it is wise to remember Spiderman's cliche quote: "With great power comes great accountability." It is not a good idea to deliberately exploit the user through strategic design. It is not "How far can you go?" anymore. The question is now, "How far should you go?"
Conclusion
The progress in web design over the past three decades has been amazing. Today, we wake up to news on our phones rather than the newspaper at our front desk. We order everything online and get food delivered right to our doorstep. We have switched to Netflix from our cable TV. We work remotely and can connect with people all over the globe.
The web page design has seen many exciting developments throughout its history. It has made our lives easier and brought us closer to the rest of the world. Imagine what is possible if all this can be achieved in just 30 years. Businesses can hire web design services for their business needs.
