I've been pondering this for a little over 2 years now.
The web is quickly moving away from obsession with "Original" designs to continuity. I hear people say all of the time that all websites look alike. That's because we're centering on what works. In many instances trying to do something away from the "normal" structure can be the kiss of death for your site, increase your bounce rate, and have all kinds of unwanted affects.
As a discipline, web design has already exhausted its possibilities
-source
You know what else looks almost exactly alike? Mobile apps. And we accept that, actually expect it, as the norm because it makes them easier to use for everyone.
People are more interested in the information, and how quickly and easily they can consume it, not praising your wonderful website design. Of course it has to be professional..but with the rise of professional templates readily available on pretty much all CMS platforms, easier implementation, and better and better website builders combined with support that attract budget conscious consumers and businesses...fewer people (and small businesses) are forced to call a web designer than use to be.
Of course a website builder is limited, and you can't build anything complex with it, but they still eat into a big portion of a market that we used to get 100% of.
Add to that...the website isn't your company's center of attention anymore, search engines are now voice activated computers, and more people search on mobile than desktops and laptops.
In 2010-2013 my business was 90% new website designs. In 2014-2015 thus far, at least 70% of my business is now support services and consulting.
Not new website builds.
Design is here to stay. But websites? Of course there will always be a need. Not having a website is like not existing. But it's not the center of attention anymore. It used to be everything. Now it's just one element and a lot of people are just going for "good enough".
If all you do is web design and nothing else, it's going to get harder and harder to make a living.
This article hits the basic points on all cylinders.
Things are moving in the direction of digital assistants like Siri, and especially Google Now with the new changes announced for Android M: they aim to provide you the exact bit of information you need, when you need it. This implies a shift from web pages to web services: self-sufficient bits of information that can be combined to other services to deliver value. So if you are looking for a restaurant, you get the reviews from Foursquare or Yelp, the directions from Google Maps and the traffic conditions from Waze.
This switch from web design to experience design is directly caused by the shift from web pages to digital products, tools, and ecosystems. Web pages are just part of something much bigger: mobile apps, API’s, social media presence, search engine optimization, customer service channels, and physical locations all inform the experience a user has with a brand, product, or service. Pretending that you can run a business or deliver value just by taking care of the web channel is naïve at best and harmful at worst.
- Source: Why Web Design is Dead | UX Magazine
What do you think? Am I calling time of death too soon?
The web is quickly moving away from obsession with "Original" designs to continuity. I hear people say all of the time that all websites look alike. That's because we're centering on what works. In many instances trying to do something away from the "normal" structure can be the kiss of death for your site, increase your bounce rate, and have all kinds of unwanted affects.
Quote:
As a discipline, web design has already exhausted its possibilities
You know what else looks almost exactly alike? Mobile apps. And we accept that, actually expect it, as the norm because it makes them easier to use for everyone.
People are more interested in the information, and how quickly and easily they can consume it, not praising your wonderful website design. Of course it has to be professional..but with the rise of professional templates readily available on pretty much all CMS platforms, easier implementation, and better and better website builders combined with support that attract budget conscious consumers and businesses...fewer people (and small businesses) are forced to call a web designer than use to be.
Of course a website builder is limited, and you can't build anything complex with it, but they still eat into a big portion of a market that we used to get 100% of.
Add to that...the website isn't your company's center of attention anymore, search engines are now voice activated computers, and more people search on mobile than desktops and laptops.
In 2010-2013 my business was 90% new website designs. In 2014-2015 thus far, at least 70% of my business is now support services and consulting.
Not new website builds.
Design is here to stay. But websites? Of course there will always be a need. Not having a website is like not existing. But it's not the center of attention anymore. It used to be everything. Now it's just one element and a lot of people are just going for "good enough".
If all you do is web design and nothing else, it's going to get harder and harder to make a living.
This article hits the basic points on all cylinders.
Quote:
Things are moving in the direction of digital assistants like Siri, and especially Google Now with the new changes announced for Android M: they aim to provide you the exact bit of information you need, when you need it. This implies a shift from web pages to web services: self-sufficient bits of information that can be combined to other services to deliver value. So if you are looking for a restaurant, you get the reviews from Foursquare or Yelp, the directions from Google Maps and the traffic conditions from Waze.
Quote:
This switch from web design to experience design is directly caused by the shift from web pages to digital products, tools, and ecosystems. Web pages are just part of something much bigger: mobile apps, API’s, social media presence, search engine optimization, customer service channels, and physical locations all inform the experience a user has with a brand, product, or service. Pretending that you can run a business or deliver value just by taking care of the web channel is naïve at best and harmful at worst.
What do you think? Am I calling time of death too soon?
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