Google.com

Martinec and Leeuwen discuss five simple non-linear models for website design in their book “The Language of New Media Design: Theory and Practice.” The five designs include Given and New, Ideal and Real, Star, Tree, and Network. All of these structures can either be used individually or at the same time.

When examining the Google homepage, I found that the design of their website uses both the Star and the Ideal and Real structures. The essential information, the Google search bar, can be found directly in the middle of the page, as seen in the Star design. Martinec and Leeuwen state that “the central element provides the core information, the most important part” (p. 24). All of the other information can be found in various places around this center point. “The peripheral elements represent the attributes or characteristics of the central element, or define its identity” (p. 25). Links such as “I’m Feeling Lucky” and “Google Search” are examples of the peripheral elements.

The Google website also shows the Ideal and Real design. “The Ideal and Real model is based on polarization and divides information into two contrasting halves, or poles” (p. 20). Beginning in the top left hand corner and moving horizontally toward the right hand corner, links such as “Images” and “Videos” appear. These appear at the top of the page because they are seen as ideal or what viewers should see as important. As the viewer moves down the page, links such as “About Google” and “Business Solutions” appear. These are shown lower on the page because they are the more concrete or specific information.

The Google website incorporates both the Star and Ideal and Real models in their design. These structures are used to draw attention to the most important information first and then draw the viewer to the more general information.