Website designers are a very important part of the information highway. Without websites there would be no World Wide Web. Websites are used to share information and to facilitate communication. In order for sites to be successful and appealing they must be designed well. It is the job of website designers to provide this essential service.
Web design encompasses a variety of disciplines and skills in the creation and management of websites. The various disciplines of website design include web development and Internet marketing; website graphic design; creative media development; user experience engineering and research; search engine optimisation and computer programming. Web developers and programmers perform these various tasks. Web developers typically write code that enables the site to function, while programmers will code the functionality into the HTML or other scripting language used by website designers and developers.
While there are a number of professional organizations that provide training and certification in website designers and developers, these professionals are usually self-trained or undereducated in terms of the specific disciplines involved. There are colleges and universities that provide accreditation and certification programs. Many organizations offer online courses or virtual classrooms where a trained professional can sit at a desk and complete assignments while engaging in virtual discussions with other students. Some colleges and universities conduct seminars on website designing and development.
Website designers and developers need to work closely with one another. It is their responsibility to establish a clear line of communication. They may also collaborate on a regular basis through email, instant messaging or conferencing. Some website designers and developers choose to work separately, but this is not recommended. Collaboration among website designers and developers will ensure quality work and save time and money.
If you decide to work as a freelance web designer or as a member of an established organization, you will need to create a portfolio that will make your clients interested in hiring you. A website designers and developers resume should include a brief history of your professional experience, current skills, and areas of specialization. Many websites use specialized professionals or freelancers because of the high cost of employing a fulltime in-house staff. As a freelance web designer or developer, you will be responsible for advertising your services, creating a unique website, and maintaining a good rapport with your clients.
Web browsers are not capable of running many common scripts such as Java, ASP, PHP and HTML. This is where web designers and developers come in to play. If your website contains interactive content such as shopping carts or forms, it will need the appropriate coding to be able to function properly. Most website designers and developers will provide basic coding assistance through free tutorials or training provided through the Internet.
Most website designers and developers are familiar with several computer programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Safari. While these programs will allow a designer to present information on a basic level, they do not offer many options when it comes to drag-and-drop functionality. This means that it is imperative that the website designer or developer have knowledge of coding for drag-and-drop functionality. It is also important that the individual or couple work together, as differences in style can cause confusion among the team.
Common code for drag-and-drop functionality includes JavaScript, XML, PHP, and CSS. Most website designers and developers understand the importance of keeping these programs as compatible as possible among different web browsers and operating systems. In fact, some websites will run almost perfectly in Internet Explorer and Firefox while they may crash or fail in other browsers. For this reason, website builders and designers are expected to know the ins and outs of browsers and ensure that they create websites that are usable in Internet Explorer and Firefox. If you want a website builder that is compatible with several browsers, you can always use a server-side script to convert your data into HTML code for the different browsers. For companies that want to save time and money, it is worth the extra effort to have a website designer who can create usable and functional websites without the use of scripts.
