Voices That Matter: Web Design contest winner!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Voices That Matter:Web Design contest. We had lots of great entries, but we managed to narrow it down to one. We're thrilled to announce that Krista Kostuch is the winner of the free conference pass! Check out the winning essay, below:

In my opinion, what voice will matter to the world of web design in the near future?

It will be the same voice that matters today - that of the user. I don't see that this will ever change. However it will change, I believe, in how much it matters.

We, as a society, are becoming more and more dependant upon the Web. The average person manages many aspects of their lives through the Web: our "To Do" list is our email inbox; we manage our credit cards, bank accounts, stocks, and other finances through the Web; we can even manage our children through watching real-time video through the Web. The list is endless and will continue to grow and change.

Corporations will continue to move more and more into focusing on delivering services through the Web and eventually they will become somewhat virtual. They will exist, but only in the land of the Web, and not in a physical location. Again, the user will become dependent.

In addition to this dependency, our society has developed certain expectations of the Web and its design. For example, our society is becoming much more transient. We can connect anywhere, at anytime. This has become the norm and people expect it. We expect it to work and understand how to make it work - seamlessly - whether it is on a small mobile device or from our PC's. We will expect this and nothing less. The bar has risen and will continue to rise.

Expectations go hand in hand with standards. If a Web site is up to "standard", meeting society's conventions of the Web, it will succeed. Why? It's simple. Because the user's voice was heard.

Our world as we know it is moving to the Web. Along with this change, our users will EXPECT and DEPEND on good web design. Therefore, at the end of the day, it is there voice that matters and ALWAYS will.

Congratulations, Krista!