---
title: "Web 2.0 Design Principles – a Case Study"
date: 2005-11-17
author: "Richard MacManus"
categories:
  - name: "ReadWriteWeb"
    url: "/category/readwriteweb.md"
tags:
  - name: "2005"
    url: "/tag/2005.md"
---

# Web 2.0 Design Principles – a Case Study

In [the third and final part of my series](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://blogs.zdnet.com/web2explorer/?p=62) of ZDNet columns about [Yellowikis](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://www.yellowikis.org/) as a Web 2.0 case study, I look at some of the design principles that can be applied by other Web 2.0 companies and services.

Following is a summary of principles that Yellowikis demonstrated. Be sure to check out the whole series for full details: [Part 1 – Introduction](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://blogs.zdnet.com/web2explorer/?p=58); [Part 2 – Industry Disruption and The Competition](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://blogs.zdnet.com/web2explorer/?p=59); [Part 3 – Demonstrating Web 2.0 Principles](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://blogs.zdnet.com/web2explorer/?p=62).

## Principles of Web 2.0 applied by Yellowikis

- Web-based (of course) and uses wiki technology; the same MediaWiki software that powers Wikipedia.
- Any user can both read and write content – adding business listings and editing them. To put it in ‘Web 2.0 wanker’ terms, it harnesses collective intelligence.
- Requires a significant amount of ‘trust’ in the users.
- Can be deployed via the Web in countries all over the world (see [Emily Chang’s interview](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://www.emilychang.com/go/ehub/interview/yellowikis) with Paul Youlten for more details on this aspect).
- Developed and is maintained by a small team (just Paul and his 14-year old daughter – both working part-time).
- Has fast, lightweight and inexpensive development cycles.
- Uses Open Source LAMP technologies (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) – meaning it is very cheap to run.
- The content has no copyright and is freely licensed under the [GNU Free Documentation License 1.2](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html).
- Can and will hook into other Web systems, e.g. Google Maps. Indeed if it introduces its own APIs, then it will be able to be remixed by other developers.
- Relies on word-of-mouth and other ‘viral’ marketing.
- Requires network effects to kick in order to be successful (at least at the scale of disrupting the Yellow Pages industry).
- Yellowikis will get better the more people use it. The Wikipedia is an excellent example of this.

[\[Full story on ZDNet…\]](https://web.archive.org/web/20060204153922/http://blogs.zdnet.com/web2explorer/?p=62)

I intend to do more of these Web 2.0 Case Studies, it’s been enjoyable and I’ve learnt a lot!

*Originally published on ReadWriteWeb ([archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20020204040018/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/web_20_design_p.php))*