I really like it when someone else has done all the hard work. And I can use that hard work to look smart. And, now, so can you. Via David Crow's super-interesting, finger-on-the-pulse geek blog, I discovered Yahoo! Developer's Design Pattern library. What is a design pattern? Well, according to Yahoo, it's "a pattern describes an optimal solution to a common problem within a specific context." (more at the IAWiki)
I'm going to hearken back to the old dressmaker's concept of a pattern ... remember those? All the pieces needed to make a shirt or a dress or a Princess Leia costume (ahem) were drawn, jigsaw-like, onto that beige-coloured super-crazy-thin paper. And you could use the same pattern to fit a range of size, all you needed was some clever folding.
Well, the Yahoo! Design Patterns aren't *quite* like that, but similar. They are patterns for interaction design ... detailing the essential pieces for key interactions online. There are sets for interactions like Navigation and Browsing. Most recently, they've launched a set for Reputation activities ... so if you are trying to create different types of interaction on your website/social network/Facebook app that allows participants to build their reputation, you can browse through their library of different reputation-building design patterns to see which might be appropriate.
The patterns include not only situations or instances where you might consider using this pattern, but also examples of implementations of the pattern so you can see it in action.
But wait, there's more!
Yahoo! Developers have also put all the pattern elements into wireframe templates so you can mix, match and customize to your heart's content. And the templates come in 5 different forms including both Visio AND OmniGraffle! Awesome!
So check these out. At the very least you can use them as a starting point for brainstorms or other preliminary discussions around your site or product's overall value proposition. Best case, you can get your product to market a heck of a lot faster
Also, if you're considering social media apps for *inside* your organization, take a look! These reputation models are equally applicable, and perhaps needed even more, inside the firewall.
Photo Credit: amanda bel