Professional Web Design: Techniques and Templates, Fourth Edition

chapter 1
Overview of Web
Development
Today
Compared with other industries, the Web design industry is still relatively
young. While it may be considerably more technologically advanced than it was
more than a decade ago, the industry still has issues to address, such as browser
functionality and consistency, high-bandwidth availability, search-engine compatibility,
and site aesthetics. Depending on which designer you ask, the industry
will have reached Nirvana either when Web sites for all users are loaded with
multimedia functionality or when they are stripped of all ‘‘excess’’ graphics and
functionality.
The industry is continually progressing, so it’s hard to know where it will be in
the coming years. However, one thing’s certain: The majority of Web designers
will still be working more with currently available technologies, rather than those
that are experimental or overly progressive. Web designers also will be using
various methods of Web design to best communicate the intended information.
Oddly enough, as the industry has evolved since the mid-90s, the benchmark for
aesthetic designs has not always taken steps forward. While there have been some
fads that have required designers to create more aesthetically appealing designs,
some of the latest have not pushed the abilities of many designers. The quality of
Web design, in many cases, has actually taken a step backward. There are two
main reasons for this. One, whether it’s because of the designer’s drive or the
client’s wishes, there is a mentality of playing it safe and designing sites exactly
how most of the other sites are designed, which makes everything look the same.
1