Large-scale choices like the menus displayed on the website and more specific ones like the choice of fonts, colors, and images are under the purview of a web designer.
A website's design and layout are made by a web designer. Put simply, a website designer creates a visually appealing website. To produce graphic components, they employ design software. UI, or user interface, is an area of expertise for website designers, who utilize this knowledge to purposefully create sites that are simple to use and intuitive for users.If this sparks your curiosity, let's explore this field and discover what it takes to become a prosperous web designer.
What do web designers do?
Let's examine the everyday responsibilities of a website designer before discussing the qualifications or training required so you can determine whether this is a career path that appeals to you. Typically, a designer of websites will:
- Website layout and design
- Consider a website's navigation to ensure the greatest possible user experience
- Create mockups and model pages
- Utilize Adobe software to produce images, graphics, and animations
- Obtain a web domain
- File organization
- Work together on website "refreshes" or changes
- To construct a website, collaborate with authors and designers
Job outlook for web designers
A user's perception of a website and its company is directly influenced by its aesthetics. Studies reveal that it takes users less than a second to form an opinion about a website, and that opinion is frequently linked to the brand. 75% of consumers acknowledge that they rely their opinion of a brand's legitimacy on its website.
Consequently, organizations are placing greater value on website design, which is mirrored in the employment market. The growth rate of jobs in this profession is 23% quicker than the national average.
What kind of skills should you develop to become a website designer?
You can start down this career path by developing certain skills if you're interested in becoming a website designer. The technical and workplace skills that you can develop as an aspiring web designer are described in the following two sections.
Workplace web design skills
Non-technical or soft skills are another name for workplace skills. Here are some instances:
Communication
A designer must be able to communicate with a business to understand their needs, inquire about the target market, and present their concepts for a successful website.Communicating effectively is only the beginning; businesses also require a responsive designer. A responsive designer communicates with a business, addresses deadlines, and clarifies problems as they occur.
Time management
As a web designer, you have the option of working for one company or as a freelancer, collaborating with multiple businesses simultaneously. In either case, maintaining the momentum of several projects will require good time management skills.
Collaboration
When creating a website, a website designer frequently collaborates with others. When creating a website, copywriters, graphic designers, and even IT department personnel might be involved. If so, you will require the capacity for cooperation, listening, and accepting constructive criticism.
Technical skills
Within the field of web design are specialized abilities known as technical skills. Here are some instances:
Visual design
Developing a website's visual elements is the primary responsibility of a website designer, thus a solid understanding of design principles is essential. Several best design practices that focus on elements like proportions, symmetry, typography, and color schemes are incorporated into visual design.
UX design
User experience design, or UX design, affects how a user feels when they visit a website. The goal of a designer is to produce aesthetically beautiful and intuitive layouts that enhance user experience.
In order to create a website experience that appeals to a brand's target market, a designer frequently conducts audience research and analyzes user behavior.
Knowledge of design programs
Design software such as Adobe Creative Cloud, CorelDraw Graphics Suite, or Inkscape must be mastered by website designers. These tools are frequently used to manipulate images, create mock-ups, and create visual elements—all essential tasks for web design.
Some coding knowledge
Although a designer does not write the code that makes a website work, it never hurts to have a basic understanding of HTML and CSS to make minor adjustments to a website. You'll be able to work with templates, improve fonts, and rearrange object placements more easily if you have a basic understanding of them.
Do you need a degree to land a job as a website designer?
According to the BLS, a lot of website designers hold a bachelor's degree in website design or a similar discipline. But earning certifications is another way to enter this creative field instead of pursuing a four-year degree. Let's examine degree programs and certifications in more detail.
Degree programs
A four-year degree program can give you the skills you need to become a website designer. Let's examine a few possibilities:
- A bachelor's degree in computer science offers a comprehensive education covering problem-solving techniques, computational abilities, and design work. You can choose to specialize in a particular area, such as user experience (UX), in certain programs, such as the University of London's BSc Computer Science, to focus on a smaller set of skills.
- Bachelor of website design degree: Some students choose to pursue a specialized degree in website design, which focuses more narrowly on design techniques and layout principles. These courses are taught in tandem with the technical tools used by website designers, such as the previously mentioned Adobe programs.
Web Design Certificate Programs and Courses
It's not necessary to have a bachelor's degree to advance your web design career; you can also look into certification programs and take classes. Those with current, relevant industry certificates may be given preference by certain employers. Here are a few pertinent instances:
- Google UX Design Professional Certificate: This program of courses covers fundamental UX concepts and is taught by Google industry leaders. As you finish projects for your design portfolio, hone employable skills like wireframing, prototyping, and user research.
- UI/UX Design Specialization: This set of courses from the California Institute of the Arts helps students grasp best practices, website architecture, wireframing, and the UI/UX development process in order to create a pleasant online experience for the user. The instruction is practical and skill-based.
- Specialization in Responsive Website Development and Design: As more people use mobile devices for online searches, knowing how to create websites that are mobile-friendly and responsive is becoming an important competency. Students enrolled in this University of London specialization create and design responsive websites with integrated multi-user experiences. Even though the focus of this class may be more on web development, mastering these techniques will improve your understanding of web design.
Web designer portfolio
Establishing a strong online portfolio is a prerequisite for landing a job as a website designer, provided you have the appropriate training and experience. Here are some pointers to assist in selecting the greatest examples available:
- Quality over quantity: Your best work should be included in your portfolio, but you should also exercise selectiveness. Having a small number of excellent websites is preferable to having a large number of sites that don't feature your best work.
- Emphasize the type of work that interests you: Do you have a specific industry in mind to serve? Would you rather concentrate on building single-page websites for small businesses or create online stores? Your portfolio should highlight examples of the kind of work you're passionate about producing as well as the kind of work you want to do.
- Give context: Your portfolio is a showcase of your greatest work, but it's also a chance for you to discuss your projects and impact in more detail. Think about including a brief three-to four-sentence synopsis outlining the goals of the website, its difficulties, and the reasons it's included in your portfolio.
- Update it frequently: It's a good idea to allocate time for portfolio updates once every three months. Even if you are not adding new work, you may still need to make edits or add more context in light of your objectives and continuing learnings. Updating when information is still fresh in your mind is far simpler than doing so months or years later.
Still building your portfolio?
Compiling a portfolio requires effort. Consider signing up for a Coursera guided project in web design if you need to fill in the gaps in your portfolio. You can look through pertinent choices in the following list:
- Create and develop a website with CSS and Figma
- Utilize Wix Artificial Design Intelligence to create a website
- Use Wix to Create a Company Website
- Create a Job for Your Business with WordPress
Take the next step toward a career in web design with Coursera
Are you prepared to advance in your pursuit of becoming a website designer? If yes, you should think about obtaining the Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate, which is offered by a prominent figure in the field. After completing this entirely online, self-paced course, you'll have a professional portfolio that you can utilize to apply for jobs.
