NYCPHP Meetup

[Corey H Maass - gelform.com]

If you follow Amazon's model then small, constant updates is key. Less
jarring to the user and better and safer for adapting/integrating new
technologies. Fewer days of panic for you, "OMG! The whole nav doesn't
work on safari 3?! But we can't roll back because the new db won't
work!"

Corey


On Mon, 9 Mar 2009 14:44:03 -0400, "Peter Sawczynec" <ps at blu-studio.com>
said:
> I have never read any exact rule on how often to update 
> 
> a website look. But, here is my opinion from my experience. 
> 
>  
> 
> First, it is important to keep in mind, that most all web sites 
> 
> get technologically stale every single year. 
> 
>  
> 
> Updates < 1 Year
> 
> Very commercial websites and youth oriented sites (MTV, 
> 
> TV shows, shampoo, fast food, bands, high-profile politicians) 
> 
> update at least every year. Many aggressive commercial sites 
> 
> change 2 or 3X a year. 
> 
>  
> 
> 1.5 - 2 Years Is Sensible, Proactive Time to Update 
> 
> If you want to keep the website looking like it is ahead 
> 
> of the curve or at least right on the curve; the website 
> 
> could use to be updated by 1.5 years. Up to 2 years 
> 
> update time is still Okay.
> 
>  
> 
> 3 Years Is Far End of Time to Update
> 
> Most standard web sites (govt., high end retail, 
> 
> associations, accountants, lawyers, real estate, furniture, 
> 
> car dealer, local radio station, local politician) start to get 
> 
> totally visually stale at about 3 years. And, of course, 
> 
> I feel even a 2-year old web site design 
> 
> is showing its age. 
> 
>  
> 
> 5 Years Is Death
> 
> It is common though for these types of above noted 
> 
> business entities to try to take a website design out 
> 
> to 5 years. At 5 years the old design is absolutely expired 
> 
> and is hurting the company image, not enhancing. 
> 
>  
> 
> Even a  great clean corporate-look web site rigidly 
> 
> conformed to a classic design grid and using virtually no 
> 
> graphic dingbats of any kind would still need a refresh 
> 
> at about 5 years max, I think. 
> 
>  
> 
> The site width and height proportions get stale. 
> 
> Color scheme gets stale, font choices get stale. 
> 
> Even the widths of the columnar layout 
> 
> can get stale.
> 
>  
> 
> Warmest regards, 
> 
>  
> 
> Peter Sawczynec 
> 
> Technology Dir.
> 
> bl&#363;studio 
> 
> 941.893.0396
> 
>  <mailto:ps at sun-code.com> ps at blu-studio.com 
> 
> www.blu-studio.com 
> 
>  
> 

//
Corey H Maass
Gelform Design
Brooklyn, NY
Web design and development for art and business

em corey at gelform.com
ww http://www.gelform.com
ph 646/228.5048
fx 866/502.4861
IM gelform