This website is about two years old and I’m rather bored of it by now. My first website actually hung around for almost four years before that. I would normally tell someone that three years seems like a good lifespan for a website and by the end of that time technology has made some nice strides and it’s smart to start fresh. If you just spent a fortune on a new website this might seem too soon and I imagine depending on the scale of the project you can make that assessment. I have some earlier clients who have not redone their website in 8+ years. If it still works and you are happy with it, why not ride it out. For me, my personal website is an amalgamation of all my skills and current knowledge. It almost feels out of date months after its done because I am constantly learning. It must be the same for companies looking to sell modern products that rely on being at the forefront of technology. Similar to the cell phone dilemma when you get a new one its never quite new or current enough. Before long its old news. The website industry isn’t quite that bad, but the web does follow trends and if you are caught in the middle, your site could feel dated very soon. I say as long as you incorporate some of the time-tested principles of design (nice typography, ease of use) your website will live a long and healthy life. As for me, the brainstorming begins and a new JLern.com is on the way… hopefully sometime this year.

If you've looked at a website or app in the past few years then you are very familiar with web icons. They are everywhere nowadays and it appears they are making actual text obsolete in a lot of cases. In an effort to simplify the message visually, web icons are a great solution that make both the designer and user have a more enjoyable experience. I fully embrace this trend and what I love most is that the general web browsing population has become "educated" on what many icons signify. No need for ugly drawn out lists of links - just throw up a nice grid of icons and a user has a very easy navigation to work with. My question is, how far does this go? Is simpler always better? Many mobile applications are becoming so simplified that they just contain a bunch of boxes with icons in them. Add in the swipe technology and there is even less use for any navigation at all. The ultimate goal being that you get the information you're after with the least amount of effort possible. And of course, make it look great. This icon trend appeases both the designer and the developer side of me. Not only can I simplify my web content and make it easier to navigate, I get to incorporate a new design element that actually has a great practical purpose.