Category: Internet and web

#highered web design: How far have we come?

At the tail end of 2010, Six Revisions founder Jacob Gube presented his four predictions for web design in 2011. So here we are, more than a year later, and I’m wondering how closely the advances in higher ed web design mirror Gube’s predictions.

So, I pose a question to readers of this blog — especially those who do web design in the higher ed space: How closely have changes in higher ed web design mirrored Gube’s predictions during the past year? I hope you’ll provide comment.

Here’s what Gube predicted for web design back on Dec. 30, 2010:

1. The mobile web will go mainstream. Even though mobile was a dominant topic of discussion among web designers in 2010, Gube wrote that “it’s still safe to say that most websites have given little to no attention to their mobile web presence.” Gube doesn’t have anything to say about the state of higher ed and mobile. Fortunately, we have Dave Olsen’s blog, Mobile in Higher Ed, as a resource for our sector. Last October, Dave compiled a nice list of college and university mobile websites. Does this listing indicate that higher ed is on the right track regarding mobile? Has the mobile web, in fact, gone mainstream in higher ed?

2. Web design as a profession will become specialized. “In the future,” Gube wrote, “there will be greater stratification of the role of web designer. Right now, web app designers, mobile app designers and traditional website designers are clustered under the umbrella title of ‘web designer.'” I think we’re seeing a bit of this in higher ed, but it seems that web positions are still broad-based and generic.

3. Simpler aesthetics for websites. “Web designers are forgoing complex visuals and overdone design techniques, opting instead for clean and simple web designs with a high attention to detail, a greater emphasis on typography … and stronger interaction design for richer and more captivating user experiences.” I’m not sure we’re seeing much simplification of websites in higher ed. What do you think?

4. Web design will replace print design (even more). “We’ll be witnessing design budgets earmarked toward traditionally print-based branding materials shift toward web design solutions such as Twitter profile page designs, Facebook fan page designs and HTML e-mail and e-newsletter template designs.” Maybe someday, but I don’t see it happening yet.

What are your thoughts about these predictions? Are they coming to pass in higher ed? Or are we still stuck in 2002?

Friday Five: Goodbye to all that edition

Guess what, readers? It’s the final Friday of 2011, so I bet you can guess what’s coming: A year-end list of five things about … something. Yep. You’re on to me.

For the final Friday Five of 2011, I present to you my list of:

Five things I wish would go away in 2012, but probably won’t

1. Collegiate sports scandals. Seriously. We’ve seen enough in 2011. I long for the day when I can read the sports page just for stories about last night’s games and not child molestation, grand jury indictments and NCAA rules violations.

2. The higher ed humblebrag. The humblebrag creeps up all the time on my Twitter and Facebook timelines. It’s the act of “[s]ubtly letting others now about how fantastic your life is while undercutting it with a bit of self-effacing humor or ‘woe is me’ gloss.” Harris Wittels writes a terrific monthly column about humblebragging on Grantland, where his focus is mainly on celebrity humblebrags, of which there are many. But the humblebrag bug has bitten higher ed, too. None of us are immune from it. I’ve bragged about speaking gigs, people I’ve met and other bits of awesomeness, often with the requisite self-deprecation. As Wittels writes, the need to brag “is ingrained in us and our desire to be validated,” and while “humblebragging is annoying … it is less annoying than just bragging.” So if you must brag in social media, keep it humble.

3. Celebrity Twitter nonsense. From Charlie Sheen’s #winning antics to Ashton Kutcher’s clueless support of Joe Paterno (must be something in the water on the set of Two and a Half Men), to Alec Baldwin’s snarks about American Airlines, celebrities turned microblogging into high-profile buffoonery. And while we’re at it, let’s get rid of the children of celebrities, like Wayne Gretzky’s daughter Paulina, who got in trouble for posting racy, MySpace-esque photos on Twitter, forcing her to delete her account. Oh. Wait. Maybe not.

4. Facebook. Yes, I know quitting Facebook would be like quitting air. Impossible. But I’m going to try to limit my interaction on the world’s biggest social network to wishing friends a happy birthday. Wish me luck.

5. Bloggers’ year-end lists. Enough said?

What about you? What would you like to see less of in 2012?