Things Every Web Designer Should Know

Web design is much more than layout and effects. There are so many areas and things every web designer should know. The profession itself requires a fundamental understanding of business, the craft itself, and technology. Employment in this profession requires skills in areas other than design. Many a creative web designer has come to realize that web design isn’t just about the latest visual effects and a creative design.

Those that are willing to learn the other skills involved in web design will find themselves with a long and successful career. Those not willing will soon find they can’t advance in the profession. Agencies are looking for much more than simply design skills today. Therefore, I would like to address several things every web designer should know when entering the profession.

Communication and Interaction

Web design is a form of communication and as such, it is imperative that the web designer understand human interaction. This requires an understanding of speech, psychology, and human behavior.

Web designers must have the ability to hold a conversation. They will be required to interact with clients, colleagues, and business managers. They must be able to speak competently to a room full of executives. Designers spend a great deal of time simply communicating with their clients in order to understand their needs and earn their trust.

It is important to have a rich vocabulary and is an area you can continue to improve upon forever. A broad vocabulary will allow you to communicate with any client and will give an impression of professionalism.

You must have the ability to get your ideas across to your clients and be able to explain and defend your reasoning behind any design decisions without becoming defensive. A good designer must be able to get their point across without offending the client.

Much communication today is done through the written word including email and other written correspondence. Proper grammar, appropriate punctuation, and a clear organization of ideas will portray a high degree of professionalism to your clients. If you are unable to present yourself well through your written communications, you may find yourself losing clients.

Human Behavior

Understanding how people are affected by others and how they respond to specific situations drives your design decisions and determines how you interact professionally with our clients.

Understanding human behavior will allow you to gain the trust and respect of your clients. It will also allow you to present your clients with information in the most effective way. Understanding the behavior of others will also serve you well when working with colleagues.

Knowledge of business etiquette is an area of human behavior required of any business professional. Understand the fundamentals of appropriate business interactions and use them whenever placed in a situation in which business is at stake.

The Craft of Web Design

A thorough understanding of your craft will portray an aura of competence to your clients. Designers are skilled craftspeople and as such, it is necessary to understand the issues and challenges associated with web design.

Study the artistic elements involved, such as form, texture, balance, and harmony to understand how they interact with the human mind. Design is much more than a natural creative ability. It requires a thorough understanding of the elements involved as well.

Understand issues associated with legibility, have the ability to sketch ideas to demonstrate a design, and understand issues associated with web usability and context. These are fundamental components of your craft.

Study the various types of browsers, form interaction, XHTML and CSS coding, and other areas involved in web design. You should be aware of the differences associated with diverse operating systems and understand how using different systems and browsers affect a user’s web experience.

The web designer must have skills in XHTML and CSS to construct functional web pages. Visual editors are popular but it is also important to have these basic coding skills or you will find yourself limited in your designs.

It will help if you have an understanding of various elements of Flash and JavaScript. These dynamic media components interact with XHTML and CSS so you should know how they fit with your design.

Business

Most creative folks would rather not deal with this area. However, there are some essential skills needed that are necessary and just can’t be avoided. You should understand the fundamentals associated with business such as budgeting and accounting, marketing and branding, and project management.

An understanding of budgeting and finance will assist you in making sure you have more money coming in than going out each month. It will also help you with record keeping. Understanding what receipts and documents you will need at the end of the end of the year will help you know what you need to keep track of. Every good businessperson should have a fundamental understanding of finance even if using an accountant.

Marketing and branding are an important part of your business. Marketing is what brings clients in. Understanding the various concepts such as push and pull, will allow you choose the methods most appropriate for your business model. It will also help you avoid spending money on methods that don’t provide results. Remember, your brand is your identity and it should be carefully nurtured and portray a high degree of professionalism. A strong brand identity will help gain the trust of your customers. Know how to build your brand and how it affects your customers.

Having skills in basic project management concepts will help you keep your design projects on track. Scheduling, risk management, phases, and communication planning, all have a profound impact on customer satisfaction and show your customers that you are a professional.

Remember, it is not the tools that make a good web designer. It is the skills and abilities of the designer. Know the basics and, once you have mastered them, add to them as you mature and grow in your work. Web design is a profession in which it is important to continue learning. Never stop building on the foundation you have built and you will never find yourself without a job or customers.