Design principles:

  1. Simplicity: we should use as few features as are necessary to achieve what we need to achieve. Users’ attention is a finite resource, we must fix their attention in the things that are important (goals of the web page)
  2. Fewer columns: Less is more. Fewer columns feels simpler, bolder, and more honest. We’re communicating less information more clearly.
  3. Separate top section: Make the top of the screen (the main branding & nav area) distinct from the rest (the main content).
  4. Simple navigation: Make global navigation visible (large, bold, clean and obvious). It’s important for informating the users about where they are and what options do they have.
  5. Bold logos: A clear, bold, strong brand - incorporating attitude, tone of voice, and first impression - is helped by a bold logo. Here’s a list a 58 creative logos
  6. Bigger text: Make more important elements bigger. What do you want to stress in your website? Your main functionality, things that generate business,…
  7. Strong colours: Bright, strong colours draw the eye.Use them to divide the page into clear sections, and to highlight important elements.
  8. Rich surfaces, gradients and reflections: Realistic surface effects (like drop-shadows, gradients and reflections) help make a visual interface feel more real, solid and “finished”. Making stuff look solid and real can make it look “touchable”, which is likely to appeal.
  9. Cute icons / Simple and clean: Icons play an important role in Web 2.0 design. Today we use fewer, better icons that carry more meaning.
  10. Bagdes and flowers: Probably one of the most popular trends in the era of Web 2.0 are “Badges” with various round and square corners and modified flowers.
  11. 1,2,3,…Start!: The information provided by clients has to be explained in an understandable way. A web-developers should make sure the user understands instantly, what the company is offering, what are users’ adventages and what is actually required for using the service.

  12. Tag clouds: an alternative navigation that helps to view trends
  13. Large input fields: For lots of webs, the first step is making a search
  14. Rounded corners: New CSS techniques for achieving rounded corners have helped make this style hot again. The friendliness of rounded corners is in keeping with the comfortable, informal tone of many web 2.0 sites.
  15. Whitespaces. Breathing space: The layout of Web 2.0 sites might be described as minimal. With a focus on legibility and ease of use, good use is made of white space. White space allows important information to stand apart, provides rest for the eye, and imparts a sense of calm and order.
  16. Free: If you’ve got to convince visitors to sign up for your killer app, giving away FREE accounts surely can’t hurt.
  17. Striking and descriptive tagline: to strengthen the mark

Technologies

  1. Ajax (Drag & Drop, auto-complete,…): When needed, use this amazing technology. Don’t forget visiting scriptaculous
  2. Maps:Lots of web 2.0 applications use a map as a primary o complementary tool. Think if it’s useful and if it is use it.

Socialization

  1. Commenting
  2. Rating and reviewing
  3. Send to a friend
  4. Share
  5. Subcribe (RSS, email,…)
  6. Save (favourites)

References: