Web designers use a combination of programming and design skills to build or revamp websites. A good web designer needs both creative and technical skills. They must be able to picture how a site will look (at the 'front end'), and also understand how it will work (at the 'back end').
As a web designer, you would work on a wide range of projects which could include anything from an interactive educational resource to an online shopping site. Your main duties would include:
meeting the client to discuss what they want their site to do and who it is aimed at
preparing a design plan, showing the site structure and how the different parts link together
deciding which text, colours and backgrounds to use
laying out pages, postioning buttons, links and pictures, using design software
adding multimedia features like sound, animation and video
testing and refining the design and site features until everything works as planned
uploading the site to a server for publication online.
Depending on the project, you may be contracted to maintain your client's website once it is up and running.
You do not need any formal qualifications to become a web designer, but most designers have experience in other design fields or have taken training in web design software, either through college or by self-teaching.
Employers will want to see evidence of your ability, so you will need a portfolio of work to demonstrate your creative and technical skills, usually in the form of a CD, DVD or 'live' websites. This could include college, paid or voluntary work.
If you have little or no experience in web design, you could take a college course, which would give you a good grounding in design and technical basics. Courses include:
BTEC Interactive use of Media levels 1 to 3
OCR Certificate for IT Users – Level 2 (CLAiT Plus) and Level 3 (CLAiT Advanced)
OCR iMedia Users levels 1 to 3
City & Guilds E-Quals IT Users awards (7266) – Level 2 (Diploma) and Level 3 (Advanced Diploma).
You could also take more advanced courses, for example foundation degree, BTEC HNC/HND or a degree in a design or multimedia subject. Relevant subjects include:
web design and development
multimedia design
digital media development
interactive computing.
Answered by meaning ..
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7:02 PM on March 08, 2008
