The dot-com bubble burst prompted a critical shift from flashy, visually-driven web design to a user-focused paradigm: User Experience (UX) design. In the dot-com era, websites often showcased flashy graphics attempting to show-off innovative and cutting-edge designs. However, with the collapse of the bubble, it was realized that prioritizing style over usability left users frustrated. I believe this is what triggered the rethinking of what effective web design really meant. The audience of websites had also shifted from people who knew how to make websites to a more diverse user base, consisting of regular people with different levels of designing knowledge, just wanting to explore the content. Consequently, a change in design focus driven by the need to have empathy with the users was necessary. Businesses and organizations started to realize that a positive user experience was important for customer satisfaction. This awareness led to the growth of an empathy-driven, collaborative, and holistic approach to design. Designers gradually shifted from using the superficial aesthetic appeal of flashy graphics, to a more inclusive and user-centered philosophy that provided a way forward that made the everyday use of the web more meaningful for ordinary users.
