What is a Web Designer?

Web Designers are both creative and technically inclined.

Web designers build or redesign websites. They understand what it takes to make a website functional and easy to use, but also understand what is needed to make it aesthetically appealing to the user.

Web design is a rapidly growing industry, as digital media has become part of everyone’s lives and people rely on the web for their communications, information, shopping, social life, and more.

What does a Web Designer do?

A web designer’s main job is obviously to design web pages. However, there is a lot to consider in the design process.

Web designers create the visual aspects of websites. They meet with clients, online or in person, in order to get a clear picture of the message that needs to be portrayed on the website. Once the details are determined, they create layouts, designs, and features that display the client’s services in a way that is appealing to the target audience.

The aesthetic aspect is an important one and selecting the appropriate colors, font, layout and images creates the whole personality of the website. In addition to considering aesthetic aspects, the usability of the website has to be a priority — it is important to create pages that the target market can easily use.

For example, a website aimed at children needs to hold a child’s attention, and might use bright colors, an easy-to-read font, lots of images, and not too much text. This would make it fun, interactive, and easy to understand. On the other hand, a website aimed at physicians would convey a more serious tone, so would have muted colors, a more professional font, more content, and images that are relevant to the topic being discussed.

All websites, regardless of the audience, must still be easy to navigate, and the information organized in a format that is easy to understand and easy to access. There shouldn’t be too many clicks needed to get to any part of the website.

 
 
 
Web designer: job description

Web designers plan, create and code internet sites and web pages, many of which combine text with sounds, pictures, graphics and video clips.

 

 

 

 

What does a web designer do?  Typical employers | Qualifications and training |Key skills

A web designer is responsible for creating the design and layout of a website or web pages. It and can mean working on a brand new website or updating an already existing site. Their role is different toweb developers, who specialis in making web designs a reality or writing code that dictates how different parts of the website fit together. However, there can be crossover between the two roles.

Responsibilities of the job include:

  • creating website designs
  • producing sample sites
  • meeting with clients to discuss requirements and/or project progress
  • demonstrating and receiving feedback about draft sites
  • keeping up to date with recent technological and software developments
  • developing skills and expertise in appropriate software/programming languages such as HTML and Javascript
  • creating products that are user-friendly, effective and appealing
  • digital retouching and image editing
  • working as part of a multidisciplinary team

There can be some pressure to meet deadlines and so extra hours may be required.

Typical employers of web designers

  • Software companies
  • IT consultancies
  • Specialist web design companies
  • Large corporate organisations
  • Any organisation that uses computer systems

Self-employment/freelance work is often possible for individuals with appropriate experience. Vacancies are advertised online, by careers services and by recruitment agencies.

Qualifications and training required

There are routes into web design for both university graduates and school leavers. For jobs advertised to graduates, employers are likely to seek a degree in digital media design or a related subject. Whether you have a related degree or not, you will need to be able to present a portfolio of your best web design work.

School leavers wanting to go into web design should look out for web designer apprenticeships and should expect to have to prove their interest, for example by having relevant work experience to talk about.

Key skills for web designers

  • Imagination
  • Creativity
  • Patience
  • Attention to detail
  • Analytical skills
  • Communication skills
  • Technical ability
  • Excellent IT skills
  • SEO knowledge
  • Experience of using programmes such as PhotoShop and InDesign

 

 

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