February 23rd, 2009

A Hint

Geoff DiMasi
Founder


One of our favorite places to get out of the studio to discuss big picture business of P'unk Avenue is Beau Monde. The discussions cover internal projects, the next Junto topic, conferences we might like to attend, budget figures and anything else that would benefit from some distance from the studio.

Beau Monde does a lot of things right: the service is great, the food is delicious, and the environment is refined, but comfortable. Their food presentation also embodies a great web design principle that we can all learn from. On the top of each crêpe, they put a small amount of each of the ingredients that are contained within. They let you know what is inside the crêpe without having to cut or bite into it.

How does this apply to web design?

When you browse the web, you have many opportunities to click on a link. This might take you to another page, reveal a hidden element or start a video. In that microsecond before you click on that link, you are weighing many factors including relevance and interest. If you are looking for something, you are really hoping this is getting you closer to what you are looking for (scent of information). In the case of pleasure browsing, you are hoping that the link will reveal something that holds your attention.

As designers and builders of the web, we have an opportunity to place a metaphorical scallop and touch of prosciutto on a link. We can give them a hint before they have to bite into that site. We try to do that in subtle and obvious ways in our projects. Can you think of some great of examples of this on the web anywhere else?
Geoff DiMasi
Founder

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