Web 2.0

• What is Web 2.0?

From recent investigation I have found that the term "Web 2.0" is still a developing concept but largely the phrase encompasses the evolution of the architecture behind, and of the way that we use the World Wide Web. Meaning that the web is moving from a static form where data and or information was being posted (occasionally) and users would received (Web 1.0), to a rapidly progressing user orientated environment that promotes interactivity and input from a variety of sources, Web 2.0.

There are a few elements that are common in an interactive environments on the internet and that are considered as forms of Web 2.0.

• Folksonomy is the name given to the technique of social catagorising or classifying data and content. One very common form of this is called "tagging" this is a method in which the user annotates the data that they are inputing with keywords and descriptions, this can then be located by other participants. Often referred to as social bookmarking, this is a huge part of organising raw data into locatable information and is a huge element in the structure of web 2.0 for user participation. A great example would be the website del.icio.us which is founded on the idea of listing popular websites catagorised and sorted by tags, there is no hierarchy in the catagorisation of this website except for the most viewed sites being pushed towards to top of the popular list.

• Blogs and Web Feeds: Blogs (Weblogs) are continuous postings of all types of media such as text, video (called vlogs), images (photolog), links (linklog), and audio generated or fed by the author. Blogs are a very common way for individuals to post diary entries or personal interests and news, but becoming extremely common form of web 2.0 used by organization and enterprise. The domain that we are currently on is Blogger.com it's a site owned by Google and one of many online forms of content management systems designs for composing and maintaining Blogs it is commonly referred to as blogware. Web Feeds like blogs are also forms of frequently updated content, these however are usually limited content and link to hosts of the actual content or information. A popular form of this type of web feed is RSS (Really Simple Syndication) this framework along with others gives developers the ability to pipe web feeds into their interfaces. RSS feeds are also used by bloggers to feed updates about their own blogs.
  

• RIA or Rich Internet Application has a huge roll in the future of web 2.0. This is the design of web based applications that are common in computer based software. A great example would be Google Apps which provide the user with web based programs from word processing to image editing. RIA is the idea and implementation of bringing the desktop into the internet.

• Wikis and Forums wiki's are forms of collaborative information in networks where all data is open to the wiki community to edit and be scrutinized for validity, this makes for constant evolution in change of content and the growth in amount of information. However wiki's are open also to vandalism so content can never be taken as one hundred percent legitimate fact. Forums are part of many web 2.0 site including the popular Youtube.com, Flickr.com where forums are enabled for content commenting. There are also forum only based websites where general and specific subjects are discussed in user postings and replying, for example the image beside is a screenshot of the disussion forums on whirlpool.net. Many ISP's technology organizations may use forums to address product and service support. Forums are often foundations in themselves for online community.

• Social Web Web 2.0 has a huge emphasis on user input and online community or social networks, users input personal information and find common ground and relationship in which they can spread their own network. A great examples of this would be sites such as Facebook, and Myspace.

Interactive design

• Interactive design describes a design model with a user-centered approach to interactivity. This is design that is user-friendly and addresses complex approaches and dialog between the user and the designed product. Interactive design is basically the process behind the products that we use. Nathan Shedroff analyses elements of interactive design in the aspect of a continuum. His evaluation starts with control and feedback, this is the principal of user input and designed response. He follows with productivity and user experiences which is an approach to the design of properties that the user shape and create their won experiences. The next spectrum he describes is the communicative experiences which is involving two or more people and inherits an aspect of control feedback and adaptively, e.g. discussion forums. Adaptive experienceis the notion of experiences being changed by the design in reaction to the user, this can be in monitoring and filtering or the changing of content in reaction to the user action. A great example of this being adapted into an online business model would be the changing of content on amazon.com when you sign in the system defines suggested items and products for sale on the actions that you have mad in the products that you had viewed previously.

I have found some really nice examples of interaction design that fit within the continuum that Shedroff suggests. This first video is a great look at user experience. It is a motion and touch sensitive surface on a bar, this shows an element of control and reaction in a physical form, its very interesting how is shows relationship between other users and objects by showing vectors between each placement and gesture. check it out Interactive|ibar

Here is another example of a great interactive website from HBO pertaining to the subject of voyeurism, which you would think you would only be a spectator but it is reactive to the users desired perspective. HBO|Voyeur

Information/Instructional design

information design is the construction of an effective means to deliver information to the user in a manner that is efficient and easy to comprehend and or process. This model of design is completely considered and reinforcing, it attempts to create a certainty and insurance relationship with the user Shedroff explains information design as being the process and medium of turning information into knowledge. Instructional design is a form of information design that is focused on delivering a message to obtain a user reaction. Both of these forms of design have to be concerned with the hierarchy and organisation of information.




A common design problem in information design is how to deal with large volumes of information into manageable environments this is an really good example of how BBC and the designers were able to fit a lengthy history of civilization in Britain into a digestible form. BBC|interactivetimeline

Pixelbreaker have also come up with a really good example of information design in the form of clock which displays relationship of date time year time of the month in constant motion. which they call the POLAR|Clock