Play Work Play Studio

Play Work Play Studio is currently taking part in developing a smallish side project site where most of the features have yet to be determined. The basic functionality is there, but feature-wise there is no unique factor that can make our site stand out.

But could the scarcity of features be a site’s strong point? If we’re looking at 37signal’s direction, then the answer is yes. However, should we decide to go that way, it will be necessary to actually delve deeper into the very essence of the site. The lack of feature should actually be a defining factor, the philosophy behind our design, instead of just a byproduct of the developer’s lack of idea (which is closer to our actual situation right now).

One of the biggest driving factor for us to take part in this project is due to the fact that most competitor sites are so poorly-designed, browsing around them felt difficult and tiring. Our goal is to provide a better experience for users: our content might be the same, but you’ll have a lot more fun exploring our site. Also, if all you want is to grab what you need and immediately go somewhere else, we’ll make sure our design don’t get in the way.

Now, could the lack of features aids us in reaching that goal?

In a way, we are optimistic that it could. By leaving only the very necessary part intact, we could ensure that users don’t have to work hard to get the content. Also, the simplicity of the design means that it will be much easier for people to master the site. This can give users a better sense of satisfaction, so that they felt comfortable enough to use and return to the site every now and then (and happy enough to recommend our site to others!).

Also, the load time would be much faster without all those unnecessary features. It’s one major plus for our target market.

Stay tuned to further development of this project. Who knows, perhaps by the next post the site will already be up and running.