Designing information spaces
Looking very much forward to this event – even if I am, just like JD – looking at it from afar.
Good start to the book Dan! However in the interest of controversity I should like to offer a hook:
This first chapter is very difficult to read because the design of the page is left to chance (depending on how wide open I have my browser window)
—> In a strategy paper a few years back I proposed that the successful newspaper of 2004 would be recognized for its competence in designing information spaces – be it on paper, on the web or anywhere else – as much as for its contents. And that it would be unwise to outsource the design aspects – for example of online newspapers – as they are an integral part of being a newspaper (or indeed any news medium).
While blogs at this stage offer a lot of quality in terms of content – it is a poor one in terms of packaging and design. As with powerpoint presentations – prefabricated blogger-templates do not raise the bar high enough to substitute news media. But they will challenge and support the development of news media.
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Norbert, I’m able to read Dan’s chapters at various browser window widths (using IE6 in Windows XP on a PC). Would you suggest a more fixed format like a PDF page? (Please don’t say Powerpoint!)
Maybe there is a simpler way to put it: Who assumes control over the design and how competent is that person? Can you be succesful as a news media concept to the degree Dan thinks if you leave that to chance, great journalists or one of 50 templates? Textwidth in this context is only one of hundreds of available design and navigation elements.