Web design & development is a broad term encompassing many things. But what sets it apart from other areas of digital creation?
Web designers work on a website’s appearance, layout and, in some cases, content. They use software like Adobe Photoshop to bring a website to life.
Design
A website is a crucial marketing tool that can make or break a business. A well-designed site that is easy to navigate and uses modern web design practices will encourage people to stay longer, which can result in more sales. But a poorly designed site could have the opposite effect by turning people away. To ensure that a company’s website attracts potential customers, it is essential to have the help of an experienced web designer and developer.
A web designer is responsible for the overall appearance of a website, including its layout, colour scheme, and images. They also create a wireframe and mockup, which the web developer then brings to life through code. They also use content management systems like WordPress and no-code builder platforms like Wix to construct websites easily.
Web designers must keep up with current trends in web design to ensure that their creations are user-friendly, mobile-friendly, and optimized for search engines. They must also be familiar with coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. A web designer who can work on both the front-end and back-end of a site is considered a unicorn in the industry, and they are highly sought after.
Web developers are responsible for constructing the actual structure and code of a website. They translate the web designer’s mockup into a functional website using coding languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Java. They may also be responsible for content updates, monitoring site performance, and ongoing maintenance. Web development is a fast-paced field, and web developers must keep up with the latest technologies to ensure their sites remain compatible across all devices and browsers. A good web developer will be able to think fast and come up with solutions quickly in the face of any challenges that arise during the process. They will also be able to adapt their approach to accommodate any changes that the client might request. For example, suppose the client wants to include an interactive graph on their site. In that case, the web developer will need to know how to program that into the page without any significant adjustments to the site’s overall look.
Development
While web design & development might be considered different, the two work together to create visually appealing and user-friendly sites. Web designers focus on aesthetics and a place’s layout, while developers ensure it functions properly and seamlessly. Because of this, both roles need to have a solid understanding of their skills to collaborate effectively.
In general, web development involves creating and managing websites and web applications that run on servers. This includes everything from content management systems to shopping cart solutions. Web developers must be familiar with various software programs and tools to develop these applications. These include coding languages, graphic editing programs, wireframes, and prototype tools that allow them to create a live model of their designs.
For example, the web designer might use Adobe Photoshop to edit images, while the developer uses a coding language like HTML to program the website’s structure and layout. These tasks can be tedious and time-consuming, but they’re necessary for creating an attractive and functional website.
The web constantly evolves to meet user needs, and web developers are at the forefront of these changes. The more familiar they are with coding and programming, the more effective they can be in designing aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly, and compatible websites across devices.
Web designers often have some coding knowledge but are more concerned with what users see on the screen. This is why they spend more time planning and thoughtfully deciding how colours, shapes, fonts, and images will appear on the website. Web designers must be familiar with front-end and back-end web development to ensure their products are fully functional.
Web design and development program prepares students to design, create and administer interactive and professional websites using server-side programming technologies. This includes Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript. The program also offers coursework in object-oriented systems analysis and design, structured programming logic and structure and database design and development. Upon completion of the program, potential job opportunities include web designer, web marketing manager, web or e-commerce manager and web administrator.
Maintenance
Web maintenance involves identifying what pages to keep, what to combine or kill, and how to update stale content. It also entails checking that the site’s essential software and plugins are up to date. Ideally, these updates are conducted by the web development team who built the site so that they can identify any bugs and other issues that may have surfaced.