Ultra Zoom
1st edition — by Patrick McNeil — Mar. 6, 2006
The Design Element
The ultra zoom web site is basically one where your interaction is zoomed
way in and you move around viewing different parts. Now this might sound
a lot like every single web page but there is a difference here. Nearly every
site has content that requires scrolling of course, but the distinction here
is that it feels more fluid, and it is less reliant on using the browsers
scroll bars. Just look at a sample or two to get the concept.
The interesting thing about this type of interface is that it encourages
you to explore. I find my self wanting to see where I can go and what might
be found in different sections, sort of like a treasure hunt. This is especially
true on the
Playgrounds Festival
site. Some of the samples also allow you
to zoom back out and get your bearings.
This is all just a slightly
different form of interface then what we are used to and that becomes the
real charm of these sites. I think the lesson to learn from these samples
is that sometimes a subtle change in the interface
can be very beneficial, it gives it a fresh feel with out making it obnoxious
to navigate. The type of enviroment these sites create is not revolutionary,
but it is simple to understand and adds a great deal of interest.
Sample Usage
