Building websites is a big part of what web designers and developers do. Creating a website, especially one that’s as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing, is an involved technical process. Web designers and developers are involved in every aspect of the project, from conceptualizing how the site should work and what it should look like to bringing those ideas to fruition through the skilled use of computer programming languages. To learn all the information a successful web designer and developer needs to know, you may need to take a variety of college courses in computer programming, information technology and graphic design.
The Responsibilities of a Web Designer
There are a lot of steps required to construct a website, and a web designer and developer is responsible for doing all of this work. They need to understand the purpose of the site and develop a plan for how the site will work to meet this purpose. For example, if the purpose of a website is to sell products, then the web designer needs to create a design that is friendly to e-commerce sites and that includes the technical capability to select items to purchase and process payments.
Web designers, in particular, need to come up with the visual appearance of the site. They need to understand how to draw visitors’ attention to the right parts of the site or page, how to communicate branding messages and how to make the site visually striking without detracting from its functionality. Often, web designers and developers incorporate images or multimedia components into a website.
The actual work of building a website is done through computer programming. Website developers create code using a programming language such as HTML, XML, JavaScript or SQL, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). What Web designers do when they write code controls how the site will look and how it will function.
Web Design College Curriculum
Having some college education is important for developing the skills you need to do what Web designers do – make a site that looks good and works well. Students of web design and development programs often take information technology courses such as networking and programming languages as well as design courses like color theory, animation and graphic design.
Choosing an Online Web Design Degree Program
With so many web design and development programs available online, how can you find one that will help you learn to do what Web designers do best? There are a number of factors you should consider when comparing web design programs. Affordability is an important one, since you want an education that will provide a good value without leaving you buried in debt. Institutional accreditation from a recognized regional entity is also important. You should look for a program with a curriculum that fits your goals and interests and with a reputation for excellent online instruction.
What experienced web designers do is apply the design skills and knowledge of computer programming languages they learn through their education to create websites.