Submitted by soundbiterbh
The expansion of the World Wide Web since the early 1990s has been truly amazing. Once simply a communication medium for scientists and researchers, its many and pervasive tentacles have spread deeply into businesses, organizations, and homes around the world.
Unlike earlier text-based and GUI systems that were developed and nurtured in an organization’s Data Processing and Information Systems groups, the Web’s roots were sown in a market-driven society thirsting for convenience and information. Initially, Web interface design was essentially the design of navigation and the presentation of information. It was about content, not data. In recent years a second and dual focus has emerged — the design of Web applications.
Applications previously developed for use on graphical systems have increasingly migrated to the Web for their foundation. Content-or information-focused interface design is typically called Web page design. An application-focused interface is usually referred to as Web application design. Both styles share many similar features, both being heavily graphical and information rich. Significant differences exist as well, however. Web page interface design is largely a matter of properly balancing the structure and relationships of menus, content, and other linked documents or graphics. The design goal is to build a hierarchy of menus and pages that feels natural, is well structured, is easy to use, and is truthful.
The Web page is a navigation environment where people move frequently between pages of information. A Web application is usually designed to collect and process data. Applications typically consume most or all of a screen, and can monopolize the user’s attention for a long period of time. Applications also may be kept up and running continuously.
Atin Dasgupta is founder of
Web Design Company Mumbai Leveljam (
www.leveljam.com).
Submitted by soundbiterbh