Change Agent

Just like the seasons, every year we experience change in the world of digital media.  New programs, better equipment, cutting edge techniques, and bleeding edge advancements.  Humans by nature don’t like change when they are already comfortable within their own methods. Our field of work not only produces a lot of change, but demands it with a passion.  Imagine if web developers were OK with the looks of old sites like those built on Geocities.  You need not looking any further than The Dave Matthews Band to see that’s a bad idea.

Why Change?

If the DMB Geocities site isn’t enough to make you appreciate change, then lets take a look at a few big changes within the digital media world.  Lets examine one example of many.  The ability to now shoot in digital video has really changed the game.  No more VHS tapes, no more quality degradation after being transferred to another tap, no more bulky video recorders!  Digital video is cheaper which has made it readily available to more people.  Now you may say yeah so what…. but think about this.  The fact that digital video is in the hands of so many people, has also made the demand on the manufacturers of TVs, cellphones, tablets, PC’s, and more CHANGE to fit the demand of digital quality and all the things that encompass it.  I have to admit… i love digital a lot more than film.

Who knows, maybe I am biased.. I embrace new technologies and am eager to learn new and better programs.  As a matter of fact just the other day my friend Zach, who’s blog you can find HERE, was talking about Adobe Muse and then proceeded to blow my mind showing me a tutorial he walked through.  3D feel, butterflies were going across the screen… even better was how easy to was.  Something that would have taken us as web designers a lot of time to replicate, was done before dinner.  Incredible!  Check out some of these sites! http://muse.adobe.com/site-of-the-day

User Experience (UX) Changes… Past & Present

Being a UX guy, I try and stay on top of what the big changes are in my field.  None is more prevalent than that of the visual experience of a website.  What use to be clusters of big blue links has now turned into sleek and flat designs.  You need to look now further than one of my favorite sites, Amazon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The WWW is changing, and us as designers have to be able to keep up with those changes.  So now, when customers request a website and you deliver something that isn’t flat…. it just isn’t what they had in mind!  They see it everywhere, and expect if they are paying you that they will in turn get the same look and feel that they are accustom too.  But again, the change doesn’t stop there!  Now, everything has to be designed with the mobile experience in mind, which in most cases requires a different look and feel, but has to compliment the existing site for that continuous experience.  For example, Amazons mobile site.

 

Just Do It!

Its very simple.  You have to change in order to keep up with the trends and the competition.  Need an example of a NON change agent?  Look no further than Microsoft and Internet Explorer!  Think about it…. are you using Internet explorer?  DOUBTFUL!  But do we still have to design for our sites to work in Internet Explorer…. unfortunately many of us do… but I am beginning to boycott.  If you still use Internet Explorer than you don’t deserve to use my beautiful websites and all the features they bring!