Why Disney Wins

As with any interpretation of data there are multiple reasons. But one of them is that Disney World has created a world, a narrative. When you go there, you are not going for a single ride or multiple rides but to experience the whole unified world—an integrated experience that unfolds its nature with each new place and experience.

In contrast, people go to Six Flags for rides. There is no coherence or world in which to enter. It is a flee market of physical fun. The rides are fabulous, but contextless. Thus, while there might be delight in this or that attraction, there is no romance with the whole experience.

Web Design and World

The introduction of every new technology brings with it different types of practitioners. And there will always be the shiney-new-thing-practioner. Every new CSS3, HTML5, or WebGL feature will be implemented like Six Flags Coaster—just plop it wherever there’s space.

A website should not only a communication of the facts of a brand, but the experience of their world—giving people places to explore, trails to follow, treasures to find.

More accurately, your website is a world whether you created it with the thought in mind or not. The only question is how good, enjoyable, and coherent it is.

10 Examples of World-Making

Many people find it difficult to move past the information-transfer model of a website. They wonder, what could we include to make our website a more habitable place. Below are different techniques in order to make your web experience more world-like. Once again, these should not be implemented for novelty’s sake. Care and reason should be marshaled in order to integrate these into a world. With that in mind, these inspirations will help your users to come in and settle down into your website no not just quickly consume it.

Create a linear narrative (http://cinderellapastmidnight.tumblr.com/)
Tell your history (http://dreamandreach.bose.com/)
Monthly User-Profile (http://emploinewyork.com/emploi-month/)
Choose Your Own Adventure (http://insightlifepath.com/)
Create tools people will use (http://www.bbqcultures.com/en_GB/london/cookingtime)
Education (http://jhornig.at/category/kaffee_wissen/vom_baum_in_die_packung/)
Sortable case stories (not studies) (http://www.hubspot.com/customers)
Supporting goods (http://www.natural-fnb.com/beverages)
Create a community (http://ava-sessions.com/)
Gamify (https://teamtreehouse.com/)

Do you have a jumbled and mismatched website? We love to untangle things and turn them into website-worlds. Give us a call (630-923-5009) or send us an email (jjames@spire2.com).

John Higgins