Difference between Web Designing and Web Development

October 13, 2010

Creating website’s is not an easy task. For it to simplify, tasks are divided into categories and what we’re gonna discuss in this post are two of these categories; Web Designing and Web Development. If your a website newbie, there’s a chance that you might think of the two as the same. Web Designing and Web Development differs specifically in the job description but its role is definitely important in creating websites. If you want to pursue your career by creating websites you’ll have to be familiarize of these two first.

Effective Web Designing

People who do Web Designing are called Web Designers, which whom designs the look of the website. Web Designers needs to be creative. Most Web Designers uses Adobe Photoshop to do their designs and save it in the PSD format. If your good at using the search engine, you may be able to find some free designs to download for yourself for reference (e.g. PSD web design download). To become an effective Web Designer, you’ll need to have the following:

• Creativity. As I have stated above, Web Designers needs to be creative. It’s the first value that a Web Designer must have. If one doesn’t have it, then you don’t deserve to be a Web Designer, or any design professions. You must be creative, and use it! Make your design attractive, that gives a WOW to your audience. Never give a boring look or you’ll likely lose your job anytime.
• Professionalism. If you want your Designs to sell, then you must make sure that it is professional enough to showcase. Learning the basics of Web Designing would really help you with this (e.g. Resolution, Frame Size, color scheme, etc.).
• Familiar with the latest Trends and Apps. You’ll have to familiarize the latest trends and apps on the net. If you’ve been browsing anywhere, you’ll notice that most websites are being synchronized with the hottest Social Networks on the world wide web. Include it in your designs and put a little creative touch in it.
• Know your limits. Unlike paintings, Graphic designs and similar, web designing is limited. You’ll have to make sure that your design is codable to HTML, and also that it can be optimized as search engines robots likes pages that loads fast. Don’t use heavy background images.
• Innovative. This is really an optional trait, but I just want to add it on this list as I find it very important. Not just Web Designers, I think anyone on the design profession needs to be innovative.It’s okay to use concepts that are already the, but as time flows those ideas will get old, and its a lot better to start the trend rather than to follow it. Think of something new for your design, something that hasn’t been done by anyone yet.
• Knowledge on HTML and CSS. I would like to title this part as realistic, but I guess the title really fits. For our design to be effective, we’ll have to measure in the end if the our design is realistic. To be able to do this, we need to have knowledge of both HTML and CSS. If you’ve done your research, you’ll already know the use of these. Every websites on the world wide web are coded into HTML and CSS. A little learning to these two would really help you in your designs.

Effective Web Development

The people who materializes the ideas of the Web Designers, that’s what Web Developers do. If Web Designers needs to be creative, Web Developers needs to be logical. Most Web Developers do their coding using Adobe Dreamweaver. Well for myself I didn’t really used it at first, but when I learned how powerful it is, I didn’t hesitate. There are still some developers who don’t use the product and still sticks to their favorite Text Editor, but that’s okay, no one gives a damn about it. To become an effective Web Developer, you’ll need to have the following:

• Logical thinker. To be able to materialize something from a PSD image, Web Developers must be logical in mind. You’ll know great Web Developers when they are able to tell what they need to do to materialize something just by looking at it. This value isn’t something that everybody has, which means only a few can really code. I’ve met many people who tried learning programming and stuff related, and most of them have given up and shifted to a new line of career. This value will really depend on how you’ve been doing at school. If your good at Math and Science, then the chance of having a high logical skills is high. Enhancing this skills would require experience.
• Knowledge on XHTML, CSS, Javascript and a Server side / database scripting. Web Developers must have great knowledge on HTML, CSS and Javascript, as these three are would be the first language that a Web Developer will be using in creating websites. Other than these three, a Web Developer must also choose a Server side and database scripting language. The most popular server scripting language would be PHP, ASP, JSP and Perl, while database would be SQL.
• Knowledge on Photoshop (give attention to detail & ). Every detail incorporated on the design must be coded, this is a rule that all Web Developers must follow. Most even say that every pixel is important, and every color that the designer must be used as well. Web Developers must do their best to comprehend the ideas of the Designer. Photoshop PSD is one of the best design formats, that’s why Web Developers must also have knowledge on it. To be able to perfect the design, you’ll have to give attention to every detail on it. Follow everything, from the frame to the colors, from the header to the footer.

As an individual, it is my pleasure to help anyone who wishes to learn, as long as I am capable to do it. Knowing that even one person learned something from this would really add to my happiness. Please also give your comments below and share it!

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Tags: photoshop, web designer, web developer