Introducing Web 3.0
What does Web 3.0 mean for design?
Web 3.0 is a vast concept, which is not one idea but run by a foundation that gets you hyped up for the next step of the internet or to buy the token. The Internet has seen more than its fair share of evolutions over the past few decades, and now many people are wondering what will come next — Web 3.0, or the third version of the Internet after the birth of Web 1.0 and 2.0 (social media). So what does this mean for design? In this article, we’ll explore Web 3.0 and look at some predictions about what it means for design in the future.
Definition of Web 3.0
For those who don’t know, web 3.0 is a set of tools which aim to make creating, storing and publishing content easier than ever before. Simply put: it makes life easier as a designer! There are so many examples of software that I can use in my everyday routine on an average basis that wasn’t around five years ago but will be standard practice in another five years or so.
Web 3.0 is a big concept and to understand this you need to know about Web 1.0 and Web 2.0;
Web 1.0
The term was coined in 1996 by Darcy DiNucci and was associated with web technologies that were used to disseminate and collect information from around the globe. Web 1.0 has given rise to Google, Facebook, Twitter and other social media giants. It’s also important to note that Web 1.0 is not a specific time period or technology; it’s a general description of what we saw in those early days of online life. Most notably, it refers to websites as documents (as opposed to apps) and points out how users interacted with these documents via search engines instead of social networks like Facebook or Twitter. There was a Web 1.0 scenario between 1994 and 2004 where the web was read-only, and the users were consumers.
Web 2.0
What is web 2.0 in design and why do you need to know about it? The term web 2.0 refers to a new generation of tools that allow individuals to publish information on websites instantly, share those documents with others around the world, edit documents collaboratively, bookmark information using unique URLs, and contribute feedback (through ratings) on any content they read online — ultimately giving rise to a massive new source of data that can be collected and analysed by anyone interested in user behaviour online. In short, web 2.0 represents an entirely new approach to publishing and consuming digital media. And while not every company will leverage these tools, understanding how they work will give you a leg up when competing against companies using them effectively.
Web 3.0
What Does it Mean for Design? When people talk about Web 3.0, they’re not referring to a different web; they’re talking about how websites are changing based on new technologies and functionalities. Here are some of the functionalities and technologies that comprise Web 3.0;
- Social networking
Social networking is big business these days. Many social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have gone public in recent years. As more people use social networks like Facebook or LinkedIn to network with colleagues or find jobs, social networks become an integral part of business communication and marketing.
- Collaboration tools
Collaboration tools allow users to share files with one another online without having to send emails back and forth or upload files to third-party file-sharing sites like Dropbox or Google Drive. Tools like Basecamp, which was acquired by the project management software company 37signals in 2010, help small businesses collaborate and manage projects. Basecamp allows you to assign tasks to your team members and track their progress toward meeting deadlines.
- Online payment systems
Online payment systems make shopping easier than ever before by allowing you to pay for items using your bank account or credit card number instead of writing out a check or typing in your credit card information every time you buy something online. The most popular online payment system today is PayPal, but other companies, including Square and Stripe, offer similar services.
- Mobile apps
Mobile apps allow users to access certain functions from their smartphones. For example, if you want to check whether there are any sales at a local store while you’re standing in line at Starbucks waiting for your coffee order to be filled, all you need to do is pull up that store’s mobile app on your smartphone and scan through its weekly sales flyer.
- Cloud computing
Cloud computing refers to storing data on remote servers accessed via the Internet rather than storing data locally on your own computer. Cloud computing makes sharing documents and collaborating with co-workers much easier because you don’t have to worry about backing up your work; everything is stored in a remote location accessible via an Internet connection.
- Augmented reality
Augmented reality overlays digital images onto real-world images. If you were wearing special glasses that could display digital images of what you see in front of you, then when you looked at a building, it would show you a picture of what that building looked like when it was first built. Or imagine looking down at your watch and seeing how many calories were burned during your morning jog.
- Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants are artificially intelligent programs designed to perform specific tasks for users. Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, can respond to voice commands and perform simple tasks like setting reminders or finding directions. Virtual assistants are becoming increasingly common in everyday life, and as technology improves, we’ll likely see them doing even more complex things on Web 3.0.
- 3D printing
3D printing is a process that builds three-dimensional objects by laying down layer upon layer of material until you have a finished product. 3D printers are already used to build prototypes for products, and as 3D printers get more advanced, they’ll be able to produce finished products in various materials. Doctors are also using 3D printing to create custom prosthetics for patients who have lost limbs.
Three-pointers to make you understand Web 3.0 easily;
- Web 3.0 promises a decentralised internet that is built on the blockchain.
- Web 3 was coined by Gavin Wood (Co-founder of Ethereum Cryptocurrency)
- Web 3.0 or Web 3 is a next-generation decentralised digital infrastructure.
- You will be the owner of your own data and there won’t be any censorship.
- No client-server architecture.
Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO)
Autonomous organisations are organisations that exist without a designated leader, manager or hierarchy. Such an organisation can also be called a decentralised autonomous corporation (DAC), a decentralised autonomous community (DAC), distributed autonomous corporation (DCC) or distributed autonomous organisation/company/corporation (DAC). In terms of Web 3.0 DAOs could help provide services and products to individuals with no middlemen whatsoever, thus providing extremely competitive prices. If a service is provided by a company it will always have some form of centralised authority, whether it’s in leadership or management. With Web 3.0 technology and blockchain-based systems like Ethereum, we can create truly peer-to-peer marketplaces where anyone anywhere in the world can buy anything from anyone else anywhere in the world at any time.
For example, let’s say you wanted to rent out your apartment for a few days while you were away on holiday. On Web 3.0 platforms, you will be able to post details about your apartment and receive payments instantly via smart contracts. The best part is that there would be no need for Airbnb or other companies, as there would be no middleman taking commission fees — only minimal transaction fees on the blockchain network.
Web 3.0 Foundation
The web was originally designed as a read-only platform for sharing research papers, but it quickly evolved into a way to share text and images across millions of users. The third iteration of web development (Web 3.0) is all about improving user experience by implementing functionality in browsers that allows users to interact with websites in more meaningful ways than they ever have before. For example, you can use your mouse to scroll through content on a website — but wouldn’t it be better if you could just flick your wrist or click your fingers to do so? That’s what Web 3.0 is all about: making interactions between sites and their users easier, faster, and more intuitive.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that designers will have to learn new skills and tools to take full advantage of Web 3.0 technology, but there’s no reason why web-savvy creatives can’t quickly become a part of Web 3.0 themselves! Those who adopt early will be far better equipped to evolve alongside current developments.
References
https://ethereum.org/en/developers/docs/web2-vs-web3/
https://www.gillesdc.com/web3/intro
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/what-is-web3-and-how-will-it-work
Web Design 3.0 Is Here: Are You Ready For The Transformation?
