As long as there have been websites, the idea of web design and development has existed. Because the process of creating websites was formerly more easier, it had a much simpler meaning.
You can truly see how much websites have advanced when you contrast the first website, which debuted in 1991, with contemporary webpages. Today, building and managing a website requires a larger ecosystem of responsibilities and skill sets and is more complicated.
It might be challenging for designers to understand their exact place in this environment. This article provides a clear picture of your job, the responsibilities of others, and the skill sets required while outlining the key components of the website design process.
What is web design and development?
The process of building a website is referred to as web design and development under this general heading. It requires the two key skill sets of web design and web development, as the name would imply. A website's appearance and feel are determined by web design, while its functionality is determined by web development.
The terms for the two roles are frequently used interchangeably since there isn't usually a clear boundary that distinguishes them. The jobs change along with the web's ongoing development.
Since the first website was made about 30 years ago, several job titles have appeared to represent the varied skill sets required to develop a website, and more are being produced every year. These positions frequently overlap, and the definitions vary from business to business. It's enough to cause dizziness.
Design vs. front-end development vs. back-end development
Let's divide website design into two categories for the sake of simplicity: what users see and what users don't see.
Front-end development and design are responsible for what the user sees and are done in a browser. Colors, layout, fonts, and images—everything that contributes to a website's branding and usability—are defined by design, which calls for software like Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, and Sketch.
Front-end development describes the process of putting that design into action using coding languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Users are able to interact with buttons, photos, text, contact forms, and menus thanks to these languages. They also play a crucial role in responsive and adaptive design.
Some front-end developers are designers, while others are programmers. Some designers refuse to touch any code. Additionally, some front-end developers focus only on coding. helpful, yes?
What the user doesn't see includes back-end development and happens on a server.
To store and manage all the data that is received through the front end of a website, a back end is required. Therefore, whether a user makes a purchase or completes a form on the front end of the website, they are entering information into an application. And a database that is on a server houses the data.
A website operates as intended because its front and back ends are constantly in contact with one another. The conductor is basically a back-end developer. With the aid of programming languages like Ruby, PHP,.Net, and Python as well as frameworks like Ruby on Rails and Code Igniter, they ensure that servers, databases, and applications coexist peacefully.
Elements of web design
The renowned designer Paul Rand stated, "Design is a problem-solving activity," in his article The Politics of Design. It gives a way to make a phrase, a picture, a thing, or an event clearer, more concise, and dramatic.
For its users, web designers are always coming up with solutions. Users should be able to navigate websites easily and carry out their desired actions. A disgruntled user is less likely to remain on a website, much less return.
Because of this, every aspect of web design works to make the site as user-friendly as possible so that visitors will return time and time again and engage with it.
Layout: A website's layout refers to how its header, navigation menu, footer, content, and images are arranged. The layout is determined by the goal of the website and how the web designer wants the user to interact with it. An journalistic website would emphasis text and letter spacing, whereas a photographic website would prioritize large, attractive photographs.
Visual hierarchy: A user ought to be able to quickly find the data they want on a website. Visual hierarchy enters the scene at this point. The process of choosing which aesthetic elements of the website should stand out utilizing size, color, spacing, and other factors is known as visual hierarchy.
This article's headers serve as a simple illustration of visual hierarchy. They rapidly explain the subject of this post to you, the reader.
Using navigational tools like site layout, menus, and search bars, navigation enables users to move from point A to point B. Users may quickly and easily access the information they're seeking for thanks to simple, effective navigation.
Color: Color adds individuality to a website, helps it stand out, and instructs visitors on what to do. A brand's current identification or the content of a website (like how this plant website employs many shades of green) may decide the color scheme. An organized color scheme lends structure to a website.
The logos, symbols, and pictures that are present on a website are referred to as graphics. They ought to harmonize with the style, content, and color scheme.
Speed: A user's initial impression of a website is based on how quickly it loads. The likelihood is that the user won't remain if it takes too long.
The ideal page load time across devices is between 1.8 to 2.7 seconds, according to Akamai's 2017 State of Online Retail Performance report. According to the same study, a two-second delay can boost a website's bounce rate—the proportion of users who depart after seeing one page—by up to 103%.
Accessibility: A website's accessibility determines who may or cannot use it. Prioritizing accessibility guarantees that a website's features are equally accessible to and usable by all users.
