| Only a decade ago, user interfaces tended to be | | | | web designs should be simpler and intuitive in nature. |
| simpler and minimal in nature. They were imposed by | | | | A user should know what he is doing and from |
| a lot of restrictions and challenges that could not be | | | | where he came to access a particular page. Or he |
| addressed at that time. As the time passed, these | | | | might user the competitor's website. This is |
| restrictions have been lessened. Now, some of the | | | | something (as usual) different in desktop GUI |
| key restrictions (including bandwidth and internet | | | | environment where users have the facility to get |
| speed) have become soft. | | | | trained by the vendor or there are lots of other |
| Let's have a look at how web design and GUI design | | | | options available. |
| stand against each other. | | | | Unified Nature |
| Standard GUI Elements | | | | Desktop GUI design greatly depends upon the |
| Talking about a desktop application, we immediately | | | | underlying operating system and they try to go in line |
| think of menus, toolbars and other standard user | | | | with the look and feel of underlying operating |
| interface elements. Almost all desktop applications | | | | system. Same is not true in case of web design. |
| have these elements in them. But things change a bit | | | | Web site & applications are encouraged to have |
| when we look at web applications & websites. | | | | more diversity in their style and look and feel. |
| In case of web design, there is more freedom given | | | | Resolution Independent Design |
| to designers and therefore, web design tends to be | | | | Web designers have to pay a great deal of effort |
| more diverse and non-standardized in nature. | | | | while handling a resolution independent design. Things |
| Early Exit | | | | are even worse when you need to support multiple |
| Web design should be attractive! After all, a user can | | | | web browsers (which in most of the cases is |
| find tons of other alternates to the same | | | | required). Desktop design is relatively easy to make |
| functionality. So it becomes even more important to | | | | resolution independent by making use of different |
| keep the user 'glued' to the web site by providing an | | | | helping routines provided by the underlying operating |
| attractive design. In case of desktop application | | | | system. |
| however, even the design is not so good; people | | | | Current Trends in Web & GUI Design |
| stick to it and try to call support for help in getting | | | | AJAX, a combination of different technologies, helps |
| things done. | | | | in making a web design more interactive than it was |
| User Experience | | | | ever before. Different Rich Internet Application (RIA) |
| Web design and GUI both vary greatly in terms of | | | | frameworks provide lots of pre-built web user |
| user experience. As said earlier, web designs tend to | | | | interface elements with the help of which attractive |
| be more attractive and face greater challenges in | | | | user interface design can be made in no time. These |
| terms of keeping the user loyal to the web site. A | | | | frameworks not only provide rich elements, but also |
| user must therefore, feel comfort and should remain | | | | blur the line between web design and desktop UI |
| focused to the actual task. Too much of animations | | | | design. |
| or ads can easily distract user from what he is trying | | | | Microsoft has come up with a brilliant idea by |
| to do. | | | | introducing Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). |
| Resource Utilization | | | | With the help of WPF, same application design can be |
| A desktop application is permitted to utilize more | | | | used in both web as well as desktop environments. |
| resources, thus they can have more heavy design | | | | Therefore diminishing the effort as well as cost |
| elements in contrast to a website or a web | | | | required for separate designers. |
| application. Although high speed internet is now | | | | Future Challenges |
| becoming more and more common yet a lot of web | | | | Rumors are well spread that soon there will be 'Web |
| users are unable to avail this facility. Therefore, web | | | | Operating Systems' and users will need only an |
| designers have to be more careful about resource | | | | internet connection with a dumb machine. Their data |
| utilizations provided they want to make their web | | | | as well as applications will be accessible via internet. |
| site accessible to most users. | | | | This will not only wipe out the line between Desktop |
| Learning Curve | | | | and Web Design but it will also open new challenges |
| Web users have less time to waste. That means | | | | for designers. |