The 10 Commandments of Web Design

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6. Thou shalt worship at the altar of typography.

Designers say that despite the increase in broadband penetration, plain text has gotten a second wind in cutting-edge Web design. Mainstream sites such as Craigslist have led the way, while designer-oriented sites such as Coudal Partners and John Gruber's popular Daring Fireball blog represent the cutting edge.

7. Thou shalt create immersive experiences.

Merely looking good doesn't cut it anymore. Sites like Facebook and YouTube draw in users with compelling content and functionality. Creating Web sites that can capture and hold users' attention is what matters most.

8. Thou shalt be social.

Web 2.0 is everywhere. MySpace (NWS) and similar sites only launched the trend of having users communicate and interact—sometimes obsessively—on browser-based sites. Designers are now filtering those same elements into diverse sites, from smart advertising to online office productivity.

9. Thou shalt embrace proven technologies.

Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, and their cohorts have become a part of daily life. Sites that can incorporate these elements into their design will connect with users in a meaningful way by providing functionality and an interface with which they're already familiar.

10. Thou shalt make content king.

Though the slogan is old, it still stands. Aesthetic design can only go so far in making a site successful. Beautiful can't make up for empty.

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Contributors:
Dan Cederholm, founder, SimpleBits
Chris Conley, associate professor and head of the Human-Centered Product Design track at the IIT Institute of Design
Malcolm Garrett, joint creative director, AIG
Robert Greenberg, chairman, CEO, global chief creative officer, R/GA
Steven Heller, co-chairman, MFA Design program, School of Visual Arts
John Maeda, president-elect, Rhode Island School of Design
Don Norman, founder, Nielsen Norman Group
Dave Shea, founder, mezzoblue; author, The Zen of CSS Design
Lisa Strausfeld, partner, Pentagram
Jakob Trollbäck, founder, Trollbäck + Co.
Khoi Vinh, design director, NYTimes.com
Simon Waterfall, creative director, Poke; president, D&AD
Martin Wattenberg, founding manager, IBM Visual Communication Lab
Jeffrey Zeldman, publisher, A List Apart Magazine, founder Happy Cog Studios

Business Exchange related topics:
Web Design
Brand Marketing
Marketing Innovation
Web 2.0
Web 3.0

With Ernest Beck, Reena Jana, Bruce Nussbaum, Jessie Scanlon and Helen Walters.