Are you a web developer or a web designer?
In the August 2006 edition of .net magazine, Andy Rutledge is quoted as saying:
If you've got an excellent grasp of HTML and CSS, but don't understand design fundamentals you're a front-end developer or a coder, you're not a web designer... But design is not art... As a web designer, your job is to accurately translate your clients aims into a result that furthers his purpose... Design is an exercise in psychology.
I found this helpful. I have tags for "webdev" (web development) and "webdesign" (web design) and have found myself unsure when to use one or the other when tagging a post. I'm not the only one for whom these terms are a little ambiguous. For example, I'm currently reading Web design in a nutshell which, according to the above, has absolutely nothing to do with "design"—although it refers in passing to design principles, it is primarily a detailed exposition of technical standards.
So where does this leave bloggers? Are they developers of designers? Bloggers are far from homogeneous. Some have very little technical knowledge and will use an "as-is" platform such as WordPress.com or Blogger; they can't be designers either, because they can't do much to alter the provided templates. At the other extreme, bloggers will run their own servers or, at the very least, dabble with PHP, XHTML, CSS, and Apache .htaccess files. This is certainly development activity, but they will also think about accessibility, retaining readers, placement of featured content, clear site navigation, branding, encouragement of visitor comments, etc—just as certainly design, translating their personal ambitions into practice by getting into the minds of their target audience.
One of my brothers is a graphic designer: he went to a design school, he can take forward a client's vague concept and put it in print, he gets paid for the work he does, but he has no knowledge of XHTML or CSS. He's clearly a designer. I have no clients, I receive no remuneration, and I have no training in design, but I can code and I can think about the non-technical (design?) aspects of what I am trying to achieve with my own site. So we come back to the original question: am I (are you) a developer, or a designer?
Perhaps web engineer is a better term that encompasses both the functional design and technical construction aspects of DIY or "serious" blogging?
![[Photo of Bruce McKenzie]](data:image/jpeg;base64,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)
I agree upon the fact of ambiguity between "web developer" and "web designer" since there are some intersected working fields between "development" and "design". And I, personally, lilke the new term "web engineer". :) but the meaning of "web engineer" goes deep a little bit from another point of view, don't you think? Nah..just personal opinion. After all, again, I like that new term, which is new for me, "Web Engineer"!
KoThatThar, I'm not sure what you mean by going deep? Do you imply that "engineer" has other meanings? I don't know that I like the term "web engineer" to be honest, as it does seem to be appropriated everywhere these days e.g. "sanitation engineer" = cleaner.
As alternatives, I also considered "web architect", which probably leans more towards design rather than the hands-on building. The older term "web master" has more associating with coding. Then there's "developigner", a contraction of developer and designer...
I think I'm both. I understand PHP, MySQL, Ruby (on Rails), and other backend things about the web, but can also create a nice, simple or complex design out of XHTML, CSS, my imagination, and some inspiration.
I'd say "design" is my week side Steven. Like your site, mine is a recognizable WordPress template. Modified, sure, but someone else—Michael and Chris (mine), or Ben (yours)—has done the real design work. Rutledge was also making a distinction between "art" and design. Personally, this is even more challenging to get my head around. There must be considerable overlap. It's hard to image anyone can do design without also having some artistic skill. Do you think, when we are customising a WP template, we are designing, or we are being artistic? Andy says:
You can't be anything but subjective when working on your own website. For that matter, I don't think you can be fully objective working on a project for someone else. So maybe as bloggers who tweak templates originally built (designed?) by other people, we are engaged in artistic expression rather than design? My thoughts are still unclear on this.
Well i read an article along this line a year or so ago, sorry do not have the link. In it was the same question but basically is went with the idea that Web Designer comes from Graphic Designer. These are the folks who do great looking web sites and machines do the coding. The main point being that to a web designer the Holy Grail is the design, the look of the site. So they have great looking sites that are often pretty but maybe not quite as useable... but at least the look is everything and the user needs to see it like I want.
Web Developers are more logic and contet based. They have excellant code and ikely think more about useability and accessibility. Content is king and the presentation is just eyecandy to support the content. The looks fits the content and not the content being forced to fit the look.
Being design is my weakness I accepred the title Web Developer. But upon moving back to the US this year I began applying for jobs as an Accessible Web Developer - the result of that was calls from recruiters expecting me to know Ajax (it is sort of new you know as well as Ruby on Rails), ADO, C/C , C#, .Net, Cobol and things I never heard of. So seems that Web Developer means Web Programmer or even Programmer here. What in the world would a web whatever need with COBOL?
Again many other job opeings require print knowledge for brochures etc., Ahhhh No, that is Graphic Designer or Print Designer you want, my title does point out Web right?
Bottom Line? I have no Bloody idea what to call myself. Maybe a extremeprogramming and print challenged web person?
LSW, I note the webdesign in your site URL! The first few sentences of your front page suggest to me your role would be something like "Web accessibility consultant".
A web developer is a "computer programmer" but for the web. They create websites that works with database (back-end) servers. They should have knowledge of the following programs PHP, Java - not Javascript (object-oriented program language), Visual Basic .net, etc., all of these requires hand-coding and dealing with back-end servers. In short, they should have working knowledge on how to make a website work with Wide Area Network (E-Commerce). For example, PayPal site was created by a web developer or an UI/UX Engineer -- the site is able to store your information on a server using SQL or other database language like ORACLE. Working with credit card processing center as well.
A web designer is a designer that makes GUI interface that deals with HTML some CSS and design programs like, dreamweaver, flash, photoshop, etc. They create visual pages typically without any back-end scripting. They might contract out a web developer to finish their job in some cases.
A UI/UX Engineer is basically a combination of these two skills Web Developer and Web Designer. These are the guys that makes big bucks.... but in this economy most of them are contractors (6 months contracts typically). Most companies are going this route or hiring these engineers from India.
I agree with Teacher's assessment. I am a web developer and work for a further education college. Essentially our job is to hard code and work with the backend database, pulling queries, reports etc. A designer will normally present us with a visual aid of how a website will look and we will translate these requirements into the code. Our main responsibility is how the content is managed logically and usuability issues. Often developers will need to know css and some design priniciples in order to accomodate the multimedia designer's template. This is especially true when working with Sharepoint and .Net user controls. In my experience, a successful business needs both a good developer and good designer. It's rare (although not impossible) that someone is excellent in both areas. Normally someone is strong in one and weak/average in the other.
I am curious on your opinions of Web Content vs Design/Development roles. Most agencies/corporations I have worked at has had to struggle between the two since there always seem to be overlap of these role definitions.
How do you all think, from a web developer/designer, this discussion should be approached. What do you all consider the difference between the role of a Designer/Developer and a Content Manager? How do you feel work flow should commence between the Content manager and developer/designer?
As a Developer(front end HTML CSS PHP JS Flash some asp/mysql)/Designer(web design, multimedia, video, flash, marketing, strategic planning Information/UI Architect etc) I generally feel that - with exceptions a content manager should gather assets and work with a developer/designer to make sure the assets are properly communicated.
Should a content manager make decisions about design/UI/Information architecture?
Lots of questions here, but I am very interested in some unbiased opinions.
Thank you in advance for your comments.