The Beauty of Simplicity

When trying to think of design that I am especially fond of Google immediately came to mind. Google's design and lay out aren't necessarily visually stimulating or complex and that is what makes it work so well.

Being a search engine it would only hinder Google's objective to have anything beyond the search bar, specific categories to search( such as images, video, news, etc.) and its logo. The site is extremely straightforward, you just type what you are looking for in the search bar and click the button labeled, "Google Search". While in the process of typing your search word or words, Google will most times suggest what to search for based on what the most popular searches involving your word are and what you have searched in the past. It does this in the form of a drop down menu coming from the search bar. Due to learned conventions when it comes to internet search engines the user knows that the suggestions are just that, and do not interfere with the users actual search. However, often times the suggestions which drop down can aid a user who is not entirely sure how to phrase their search to get exactly what they are looking for.

Once the user actually clicks the "Google Search" button the results page appears. The first links to appear are almost always the most popular, and most of the time are the most closely related to the search topic. Not only does google show web page results, but also related new stories, videos, and pictures. To the left of the results there is an option to only look at one specific category of results. The way Google is set up it allows the user to continually narrow down their search, and in the process continually simplifying what is going on on-screen.

Although from an aesthetic point of view Google's page may seem plain, even boring, this is exactly the reason it it so effective. Google recognizes that your ultimate destination on the web is not their page, rather it is a means of getting to your ultimate destination.