[Marko]

I'm developing a fashion ecommerce web site. Functionally i am competing with sites like shopbop.com, fashionchateau.com, neimanmarcus.com, etc. But i'm most inspired by social sites like etsy.com, not only because i intend to add social features, but because i'm attracted to web 2.0 design style. Web 2.0 is trendy, but i mostly appreciate it for making the UI clean and simple. Large fonts, solid typography, space, leading, high contrast, judicious use of gradients, etc.

Though web 2.0 is not is not traditionally associated with fashion, i think etsy demonstrates that the two worlds can be reconciled.

If the art designer has the right look i would be happy just getting a design (photoshop/illustrator) that needs to be produced to HTML (and flash elements) by another designer. But bonus points if the designer also has top ability with any of html/css, flash, ajax, illustration, icons, copy.

I have been mining portfolio sites for some time and have seen hundreds (thousands?) of designs, but there are still thousands more to see. I was hoping i might be able to short circuit some of that work by getting feedback from the designers that are connected to the community.

Do any outstanding designers come to mind with what i have in mind? Any pointers would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[woodss]

Why would you want a web 2.0 designer - most of the web 2.0 stuff i've seen is garish and awful primarily just to get attention.

[djeglin]

Ok, so from what you've said, you're not actually looking for a "web 2.0" designer... You're looking for a good e-commerce designer with a good knowledge of how to present information effectively on the web (solid typography etc), who can work to a brief. The notion of a "Web 2.0 designer" is a misnomer anyway, as "Web 2.0" isnt a design trend as such. Certainly, "shiny floor syndrome", and "gradient syndrome" have become associated with web 2.0 sites, but you only have to look at the leading social sites (facebook, myspace etc) to realise that this isnt set in stone.

So, my advice would be to look for someone who has a good background in design for e-commerce, and give them a brief. Work with them to achieve your goals. Don't look for someone who has simply used a lot of one specific style. What this probably means, ultimately, is that they lack creativity.

[Marko]

>> Why would you want a web 2.0 designer...

Because i like a simple, modern, attractive, easy to use web site, that promotes a social, interactive, and collaborative environment. Of course poorly executed design is independent of style. I don't think any of these sites are garish...
seomoz.org/web2.0


>> Certainly, "shiny floor syndrome", and "gradient syndrome" have become associated with web 2.0 sites, but you only have to look at the leading social sites (facebook, myspace etc) to realize that this isn't set in stone.

If you are trying to prove my use of the name "web 2.0" is not an official endorsed design style name, then i will give that to you (though it's debatable). But i think you understand my point that modern web 2.0 sites share a new aesthetic that has many attributes beyond just "shiny floor syndrome", and "gradient syndrome". I think sites can be characterized as having web 2.0 styled without necessarily having *all* the design attributes of web 2.0. Even though Facebook does not have gradients, it looks typical of good web 2.0 design to me.
f6design.com/journal/2006/10/21/the-visual-design-of-web-20/


>> So, my advice would be to look for someone who has a good background in design for e-commerce, and give them a brief. Work with them to achieve your goals. Don't look for someone who has simply used a lot of one specific style. What this probably means, ultimately, is that they lack creativity.

I have lots of ecommerce, usability, information architecture, etc. experience. What i lack is the graphical design ability to pull off the aesthetic i'm after. I would not underestimate the skill it takes to do a top-shelf web 2.0 design (if you give a better name i will use it:-). If all it took was a good brief to get a design of the quality of the award winners in the list above, then life would be much easier for me.

If it's so easy, can you please give me the names of some freelance designers that can demonstrate this level of quality in their portfolios?

Thanks for your help.

[Paddy]

Originally Posted by djeglin

Ok, so from what you've said, you're not actually looking for a "web 2.0" designer... You're looking for a good e-commerce designer with a good knowledge of how to present information effectively on the web (solid typography etc), who can work to a brief. The notion of a "Web 2.0 designer" is a misnomer anyway, as "Web 2.0" isnt a design trend as such. Certainly, "shiny floor syndrome", and "gradient syndrome" have become associated with web 2.0 sites, but you only have to look at the leading social sites (facebook, myspace etc) to realise that this isnt set in stone.

So, my advice would be to look for someone who has a good background in design for e-commerce, and give them a brief. Work with them to achieve your goals. Don't look for someone who has simply used a lot of one specific style. What this probably means, ultimately, is that they lack creativity.

This is good advice.

Web 2.0 actually refers to an ethos of user generated content and community input. Social networking websites are a good example, as are flickr, digg and YouTube. Many so-called web 2.0 sites make use of a particular technology set that includes PHP and AJAX, but this is really just because these technologies lend themselves well to the concept.

On the whole, there aren't many web 2.0 e-commerce sites.

[djeglin]

Marko,

To be honest, I dont think there will be many freelancers out there with a portfolio demonstrating what you are looking for specifically. Most Web 2.0 startups get the investment to take on a designer or two "in house" so that they dont have to use outside contractors.

In general, I would look at some large portfolio collection sites again, and go down the list. Once you find someone who looks like they have some skill, talk to them. I would throw my hat in the ring, but my day job is kind of crazy at the moment (but for your reference, they aren't web 2.0 sites, but I have worked on Thomson.co.uk - Great offers on Holidays, Flights and Hotels , Argos - Don't shop for it. Argos it! etc).

Also, think about the scale that your site is likely to be operating on... Are you targeting this at a mass market? Does your business plan project a high turnover? In other words, could you afford to take someone on "in house"? If you could, this would be of huge benefit to you in future: Any freelancer you get for the main site build may not be available for update and maintenance work, as they will take on other contracts, that may well be worth more money than these, smaller chunks of the pie. A permanently employee will be at you beck and call to produce any further assets you might need in the future (and make alterations - because no matter how much you test your site, you will always find something on launch that needs to change).

David

[woodss]

I hope you're not responsible for the ThomsonFly API I'm working with to get flight bookings via XML - or i'll burn your face with boiling poo.

[djeglin]

Haha.... noooo! To be honest, the thomsonfly stuff in general is a big pile of poo.... You have no idea how bad the company that built the back end was, and the guy that built the front end was some kind of crazy html coder who managed to make things MUCH harder for himself than he needed to! (oh, and the designers were blind, too).

My parts were more on the content pages and holiday search stuff.

[niggle]

"Web 2.0" is just another buzzword, just like "validation" and "standards compliance".

It's come, it's here, it'll be gone soon.

Don't worry about.

[Dusteh]

All about web 3.0 now. Get with it people.

[weldo]

i am the greatest web 3.0 designer around.

[freelancr]

Originally Posted by weldo

i am the greatest web 3.0 designer around.

pffft, only 3.0? Everyone knows the pros are at web 4.0 nowadays!

Back on topic...
Web 2.0? Fuck off and get a clue. Saying buzz words to sound clever doesn't always work.

[djeglin]

Originally Posted by freelancr

Web 2.0? Fuck off and get a clue. Saying buzz words to sound clever doesn't always work.

Haha.... true

Also:

Originally Posted by niggle

"Web 2.0" is just another buzzword, just like "validation" and "standards compliance"

Dude! Thats pretty funny!

(Just cause you can't write valid code, and (in your head) you're the best designer in the world, doesn't make it any less important. CSS validation, I will agree, isn't the be-all and end-all some people think... But valid html? Come on! Ha ha!!!)

[Dusteh]

Not to mention I've worked on government-sector jobs where WAI compliance is effectively law.

Don't meet the standards compliance and you get a person with visual disabilities taking your client to court. You won't be popular.