Web 2.0, here I come

Web 2.0 is a phrase that has been floating around the net for a while now. Everyone is talking about it. Infact, I think I am late in posting this – because now people have started talking abt Web 3.0. Better late than never, what is this Web 2.0? Just a phrase or is it really an upgradation of the internet methodology?

According to some people, Web 2.0 has been in existence for a while. It can be anything that reduces users time doing surfing around meaninlessly to get to some bit of information to directly allowing the user find it. It can be called as ‘spoon feeding the user‘. Some call it making the web ‘Social‘. I think it means breaking free from the old norms and ways of thinking to a new outlook. Doesn’t explain much, let me try again. Make the web a better place for the user. The keyword here is ‘user‘ and ‘usability‘.

Why usability?

Needless to say, everyone wants visitors on their site. Everyone wants more visitors. Everyone wants their visitors to return back time and over again. All this would result in more clicks, more usage and more revenue. But if the user is unsatisfied with the site, in terms of information or gets confused on his way around or cannot make sense of what’s going on, he/she will not come back. Hence, when websites are designed, a great deal of attention should go in the ‘usability’ aspect of it. Sites are designed for the user and it is but obvious that his convenience should be given utmost importance. It won’t be any good for the manufacturers a very expensive luxury car if the user cannot find his way about the navigation system or if he can’t figure out where the break system is, it could be a matter of life and death for him. Not such a grave matter when it comes to the internet but it is and will spell out your success in the world wide web.

So, with a little (or more) help from technology like XML, AJAX and other life saving applications and a big dose of usability, Web 2.0 comes into existence.

Much ado about nothing?

Poeple argue saying that Web 2.0 is just a farce and a ‘much ado about nothing’. May be it is over-exaggerated but if it helps and it works then why not. Who wouldn’t like to have a clear and simple interface to surface with buttons and other components that are intuitive and easy to use. It’s here to stay and we use it in every way. So it all boils down to this (this is my list) :

• Easy and intuitive interface for the user.
• Reduce the number of steps to perform any action whether it is shopping online or registeration.
• Easier and friendlier search engine and navigation architecture.
• Relevant and useful content.
• Multi-browser support.
• Complying with W3C web standards.
• Use of semantic and sensible markup as against the tabular one.
• Think from the users point of view and see what he wants and not what you want him to see.