• Home
• Magazine
• Blog & Podcast
• Idealog TV
• Directory
• Celsias
• Search:

• Business Magazine of the Year
  MPA Awards 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010

Damian Conway: Web 2.0.1

Damian Conway is a PhD in computer science and, until recently, was honorary professor of computer science at Monash University. He’s a designer, a columnist and an author.

Why does the web still suck for most mortal users – and how can we reduce the suck-tion. We need a service pack for the whole damn web – Web 2.0.1. The problem is… web designers. Or at least their collective subconscious. It’s fun to think of yourself as a preternaturally higher being, yet more productive to think of yourself as a physician. So rather than bitching about what is wrong with the web, let’s come up with a new way of thinking about the web. Hippocratic web design;

I swear the following oath

• To study and share good design practices
• And then actually use those practices
• While avoiding the things I know to be fatal
• I will not pretend to be a specialist in technologies I know little about
• I won’t screw my clients (metaphorically)
• I will preserve my clients confidentiality

So how?

1. Help them to find you
2. Help them to find it
3. Help them to read it
4. Help them to understand it
5. Help them to buy/learn it

It’s great for the Web 2.0 community to hear about reaching for the stars – but don’t forget the real users. There’s way too much talk about CSS, XHTML, web standards but not enough about people.

Tweeted

Overheard

• PellAmure on Hot topics:
  The basics of <a href=http://solar-energy-education.com>solar energy education</a> Solar power is probably the cleanest, most viable form of renewable energy available and it can be used in several forms to help ...  …
• Bonnie Pond on Through the crossroads:
  What an inspirational story! Many of my clients are women who want to (or must) make a career change. I help them focus on following their passions and interests to ...  …
• john hill on Stamp collecting:
  is the n.z. postal services going to issue stamps for 2011 rugby world cup?  …
• d mill on Sneakernomics:
  have you heard of martin margiela?  …
• Adèle Deborde on Affordable ideology:
  I would like to know the price of Veranda (ecosmart series) : we are buying a land at Russell for holidays.  …
• Russ on In the picture:
  "Kilometres" not "kilometers"  …

• Back to top
• Looking for something else? Check the site map
• © 2005–2010 Idealog. All rights reserved. ISSN 1179–3465