Comwerks Interactive

Less is More: Minimalism in Web Design

Posted by sean in Creative on June 2nd, 2009

With the advent of faster processing and higher internet bandwidth, web designers are able to capitalize on such advantages to create websites with interesting and complicated animation and functions that weren’t possible a couple of years back. Java-heavy scripts and Flash interfaces are frequently found on all kinds of websites in order to pique visitor interest in the website. That said, these elements can often be superfluous. They can distract users from the original purpose of their visit, which is obviously not a good thing.

Designers tend to succumb to the temptation of overuse of such implementation technologies, just because they can or it looks special and cool. Sure, it is ok to create websites like that, but in the process, many often lose focus of the objective of the website in their rush and obsession to pimp their Java script.

Minimalism in web design is the current craze today. While it is not exactly a new concept in the area of design in general, it has taken the Internet world by storm. The core principle that governs this concept would simply be:

Minimalism = Less Clutter = Less Distractions = More time focusing on what is important

http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/minimalism-is-just-designer-speak-for-laziness/

However, it is not entirely uncommon to find designers who are just simply being ‘lazy’, cobbling together a simple website and declaring it ‘minimalist’. Such websites are a dime a dozen all over the Internet. Yet, it is impossible to define what minimalism is and what is not. In the end, web designers have to remember that a minimalist website would have to be simple, yet be able to achieve the objectives of the website. It has to be functional yet aesthetically pleasing in a simple, unobtrusive manner, intuitive, elegant and user friendly. Less would then be more.

Here are 40 examples of some of the web’s outstanding minimalist designs.

http://sixrevisions.com/design-showcase-inspiration/40-beautiful-examples-of-minimalism-in-web-design/

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