USA Web Design - Streets Ahead?

It is pretty much universally acknowledged that the USA is leading the way by many miles when it comes to developments in web design, in particular with regard to the increasingly recognised area of user-centered design. Cue The Mamas & The Papas ‘California Dreamin’, as I‘m talking about the state of California, in particular, San Francisco. Many of the big names in web design live and work there – taking their places on the front-line, trying and testing new theories and methods of making websites work better for business, and enhance user experience. Often to be found speaking at conferences and writing books, these pioneers (Jeffrey Veen, Indi Young, Jesse James Garrett et al.), are setting new standards - setting the bar a little higher, year after year.

On a recent trip to the States (East Coast this time - Washington DC and Baltimore), we had a great opportunity to talk with American business owners about their web strategies and compare it to what we are seeing here in the UK. Just like over here, there are still great websites and terrible websites – good web designers and bad web designers. Our advice? – if your web designer is doing a little ‘California Dreamin’, namely - looking to the pioneers for guidance and inspiration, then your website has a much better chance at achieving the user-experience and return-on-investment you require.

Category: what's happening...
Tags: user design