Introduction : Circular structure of web design market (A starting point(simply) + Main research question + sub questions)
My enjoyment of making hand-crafted web pages has been navigating my career to web design practice. But I do admit that most of my future tasks will be occupied by commercial agenda, not being able to play with elements and styles I want in most cases.
This speculation has made me observe current mainstream websites in detail, and I've come to a realisation that my desire in making quirky and fun websites will conflict with the market structure in many ways.
Meaning, it's pretty obvious that most major web pages have certain types of features in common. For example, the shapes of most icons and the locations of the menu bar seem quite similar each other, as well as the user navigation system.
I am not completely denying the implicit rules, claiming that there needs a total subversion/revolution on the web design context. But still, this repetition of the sameness is worthwhile to be questioned, even for figuring out my attitude as a web designer.
Thus I'd like to explore the circular structure of the web design market, missions many designers confront, and how I will be balancing my stance as a web designer.
Sub-questions are below:
What are pervasive agendas/mechanisms in the web design industry? (e.g. Mobile-first approach, Frameworks, Flat-aesthetic, and so on?)
In which sense are these indispensable in the field? (Efficiency?)
How do the agenda/mechanisms influence the creativity of designers and developers?
What can frameworks made by non-professionals speak to the web design industry?
The thesis will be a documentation of my exploration of the research questions .
1. Uniformity : Does it exist? A few cases and reviews
Showcasing website examples that I've been collecting + findings + analysis
Contemporary standards of commercial websites (aesthetics, functions) (Desk research + Ask to designers and developers)
The relation between the uniformity agenda and creativities of designers and developers(through interviewing)
2. Potential causes of the uniformity (reading + interviewing)
The history of responsive design approach (mobile-first)
Co-relation between The Flat design (movement) and the responsive design agenda (Positive and Negative examples)
Realistic working conditions in the web design industry (time, wage, ways of working, etc) (through interviewing)
Pervasive tools of the web development (through interviewing)
Any differences in the work process between net artists and the commercial designers? In which ways are they similar and different?
3. Experiments on the "uniformity": What happens if the "uniform" becomes "re/de-form"? and What can I speak through this experiment? My stance as a web designer?
The history of frameworks for Css and Javascript, mostly developed by mega tech companies
In which way and how often do designers and developers depend on the frameworks?
Experiments (Participatory workshops) -> Try both pure coding and extracting codes from the frameworks, aiming for the same design sketch. How do I and participants feel? Compare the two mechanisms?
Experiments to make our own frameworks (made by non-professional!) Can we make it? What is the meaning of it? (Participatory workshops)
Conclusion
Recap the research
References / Bibliography
Carpenter, J. R. (Mar 2015), A Handmade Web, Bath Spa University, UK, Slow Media (http://luckysoap.com/statements/handmadeweb.html)
Galloway, Alexander R. (2012), The Interface Effect, Cambridge, UK, Polity
Johnson, S. (1997), User Experience: Interface Culture, New York, Basic Books
Kay, A. and Goldberg, A. (1977), Personal Dynamic Media, MIT, The New Media Reader
Lialina, O (2009), Digital Folklore, Frankfurt, DE, Merz&Solitude
Lialina, O (2020), From Me to My, Berlin, DE, Critical Interface (https://interfacecritique.net/book/olia-lialina-from-my-to-me/)
Lurroso, S. (Apr 2020), The User Condition 04: A Mobile First World, Entreprecariat (https://networkcultures.org/entreprecariat/mobile-first-world/)
Lurroso, S. (Feb, 2021), The User Condition, the Lectorate Design of KABK (https://theusercondition.computer/)
Müller, B. (Sep, 2018a), Why Do All Websites Look the Same?, Modus (https://modus.medium.com/on-the-visual-weariness-of-the-web-8af1c969ce73)
Müller, B. (Nov, 2018b), Balancing Creativity and Usability, Medium (https://borism.medium.com/balancing-creativity-and-usability-9bb2cd0fe929)
