Web sites are becoming easier to use mainly because major web destinations have standardized on several design patterns – transforming them into conventions that smaller sites can model after to satisfy the collective user expectation.

For example, users know how to use tabs thanks to Apple.com, Amazon.com, Yahoo.com, Outpost.com, Buy.com, etc. Tabs and other web conventions make designing for and using the web much easier. Here is a nice summary of the main web design trends today.

In addition to structural conventions, users also have expectations about where things should be located on the page – also known as screen real estate conventions. Back in February, Human Factors International published a newsletter where this idea was explored and substantiated. I was delighted to find out that people expect the main navigation to be on top, ad space on the right, and “back to home” link on the upper left hand. These user expectations make it easier for us to design certain functionality; and it frees us up to focus our attention on designing aspects of the site that are new or don’t fall within established web conventions. Sometimes, they even help design firms turn a profit. Imagine that!

In short, web conventions are good because clients accept them, users expect them and they are easy to design and execute.

Here is the problem though: standards become most powerful when they have good proliferation. Good proliferation is achieved when large websites develop neat design patterns, and other designers borrow them for their own projects. Before no time, users grow to expect certain things to work certain ways, and designers are forced to follow the conventions.

But what if the convention was wrong to begin with?

Think about what’s going on with Digg right now. About 30 people have the influence to surface diggs to the Digg homepage. The topics on the homepage then become the hot issues of the day. Well, the web is very similar. Few companies receive the majority of traffic on the web. If a designer from one of the top companies comes out with something new, and if the other top companies adopt the design into their visual repertoire, then you better believe that that design pattern has a good chance of becoming a convention.

Designers need to be careful. We have to pick the good, ignore the bad and be ready to defend our positions.

As Digg now knows, the crowd is not always right.