Lateral Is Watching You

A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. — ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPÉRY

I have seen many web design sites and articles refer to the above or similar quotes that conveys the message less is more when it comes to great web design, which I tend to agree. As mentioned in “Credit Card Entry Redesigned”, unnecessary design elements on a web site, especially those without a clear function, can confuse the end users and take away from the experience. Every time a user has to ask themselves a question or try to figure out your website, their willingness to interact with it goes down and you see the results in your bounce rates.

Great web design can be fun too

But sometimes adding an element of fun to design — especially without functionality — can result in great websites. At the end of the day we are not all utilitarian design fanatics and a fun, personal touch can change our perception positively about a product or a company.

Here is an example of a great web design from a design agency called Lateral.

While the animation might not add much in terms of functionality, it showcases the company’s creativity and ability to think outside the box. But more importantly, by making a visitor smile, it provides a pleasant virtual interaction for the user hopefully resulting in a more positive view of the company. It sure brought a smile to my face.