How to use UI Design Patterns
Design patterns are optimal solutions to common design problems. As common problems are tossed around a community and are resolved, common solutions often emerge. Eventually, the best of these rise above the din, self-identify, and become refined until they reach the status of a design pattern. I wouldn't call a design patern a trend in web design, design patterns seem to be more about looking at how common designs are classified in retrospect, rather than forging new territory or looking to where things are headed. How should you approach UI Design Patterns? We use design patterns all the time, if you're unfamiliar with them you probably haven't realized that they're all around you. What about the classic example of having too much content to display on one page? We turn our attention to 'Tabs', a design pattern that enables us to serve all the content we want, without making the user disappear in a sea of links. The typical benefits for...