As you may know, there’s an acronym in the design world: K.I.S.S. which stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid. Pretty insulting, right? You have to call me Stupid? Really?
But, for those of you who have never heard of it, it’s a philosophy of design and I’m definitely a disciple. I remember, many years ago, fresh out of art school, I tried to think about new and interesting ways to deliver the navigation. What if the whole screen were covered in checkered boxes and you had to roll over just the right box to get a menu item? How awesome would that be? I such a good designer… Sigh.
What I’ve learned along the way, both as a designer and probably more importantly, as a consumer, is that I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE REINVENT NAVIGATION! There, I got that off my chest. But, I’m right, aren’t I? Don’t you hate it too? When I get to the website, I just want to get the information I’m looking for wrapped up in an aesthetically pleasing, completely intuitive interface. I’m not there to be wowed by the web designer’s creativity. In fact, the best websites, I think, are the ones where the web designer is completely transparent. All that comes across is the business, it’s brand, and the information I’m seeking.