Overview

A design pattern is a proven design solution to a common design problem documented in a standard format. Design patterns support design by providing:

• A shorthand way and common language for referring to common design problem/solution pairs
• A means to initiate novices to the profession
• A means for experienced professionals to record and share their insights
• A means for a profession to build a repository of knowledge and encourage reuse of best practices.

Examples of widely used Web design patterns include:

• Shopping cart: a solution for temporary storage of selected items on a site
• Double tab: a navigation pattern that shows the two topmost levels of a site
• Bread crumbs: a solution that shows users where they are in a hierarchical structure of the site (van Welie, 2005).

A typical design pattern is one half to two pages long and consists of sections such as:

• A statement of the problem the design pattern addresses
• A description of situations where the application of this pattern is appropriate
• A detailed description of the solution
• One or more examples of designs that illustrate the pattern