A thoughtful diatribe on the current state of web design and the web industry as a whole, with a specific focus on how the rise of that industrial complex has (possibly inevitably) reduced the craft and related skills that were once the core of these professions. Specifically, Thomas takes aim at at KPI culture, used to seek eternal growth; a culture that has homogenised web design, over-engineered development platforms, and now seems poised to be cannibalised by the AI models it has built. It's a fairly bleak take – albeit a sympathetic one – but there is a glimmer of hope. A hope that, as the industry matures, a counter-balancing craft revival may also flourish, as we have seen with so many industries before.
On the crux of the issue; on craft versus industry:I consider this a conflict between two identities: the craftsperson and the factory worker. The craftsperson wants to do what honors the values of the craft, but the factory worker needs to do what will keep them employed or employable.
On where we are heading – a reduced industry, largely automated, with a smaller niche for "bespoke" and "hand-crafted", as with all things:
Because the craft will remain even after most of it is automated. You can order mugs online, yet there are still potters out there.
So the next time you are approaching a website, ask yourself, "What would the craftsperson do?" And also ask yourself, "What would the factory worker do?" See what answers you come up with!
