rodolp — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:38:30 +0000

tallon wrote: As some of you know, I am working towards opening a web design/development business. I've been talking to people about my ideas and my goals. Some of the people have very strong opinions that the web design/development industry's future looks bleak.

They believe programs will make web design so easy that there will not be a need for companies to do it.

Stuff like that.

So, I'm curious what your opinions are (and if you know any good articles on the subject of the future outlook of web design/development). Do you believe businesses will have that hard a time surviving in this industry? Do you think major changes will have to be done to stay in business? (and if so, what kind?)

Even though our company provides content tools and web tools for webmasters and bloggers I still see the need for web designers. In my opinion you shall concentrate on very specific areas of web design and be an expert in this field. People will always need experts.

Good luck

Megan — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 18:42:23 +0000

Ah, I see.

Really, the only way you're going to fail is if you can't find work for youself. I think what happens to a lot of web designers who try to go out on their own is that they think they'll be able to spend all day quietly by themselves designing websites. Then they don't get any clients and can't make a living. Or people quit their day jobs before they have enough business to pay the bills. This might be tough just coming out of school. Getting business will probably be your biggest hurdle.

tallon — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 17:58:14 +0000

Heh, the accounting program at ASU requires those database classes. Some accountants really do go into that stuff heavily, but I believe they do it just so we can talk to database people on a deeper level. The alternative is to be clueless.

*edit: They require basic database classes, one of which went into SQL and such. I would be learning the basics of php and MySQL on my own.*

Megan — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 17:49:09 +0000

Ha! I wouldn't say that anyone will fail! What do I know, really. Sounds like you've got a good foundation to build on (although, I don't really understand why you're spending so much time learning databases on PHP if you intend to concentrate on the graphical side of things. Good to have an overview, yes, but taking courses on it might not be the best use of your time and money.).

I would say that subcontracting work will probably be the best thing to do. Then you don't have to worry about all the complications of hiring an employee (like salary, taxation issues, providing benefits and vacation time etc.). It may come to the point where you'll want to do that but I wouldn't plan on doing that from the start.

tallon — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 17:29:15 +0000

I think you're right, if I try to do *everything* I'll fail. Which is why I'm not. I'm focusing on the business aspect, running a good business/getting clients/etc, and the graphical side of things, which would include function as well as form.

The first thing I want to do with the business is get to a stage where I can hire a programmer. While programming comes easy to me, I enjoy it and I can do it, I much prefer design. I already have taken 2 classes on databases, one of which focused a lot on SQL programming. So I have a bit of a headstart on learning MySQL and databases in general, picking up php won't be too hard if I'm not trying to do extremely challanging things. But I really just want to know enough to get by. Plus it will give me a better understanding of what's possible with it, and what I can expect from an employee (as well as being able to discuss jobs with him on a better level).

As for the business end of things.. I graduate at the end of this year (or may next year if I decide to) with a degree in business management and accounting, which includes courses on marketing and such. So I have a basic understanding of business. With additional study, and asking people with more knowledge than me, I believe I will be ok on the business side of things.

With that said, do you still say I'll fail? (and why)

Also, do you (the forum) think it is best to hire full-time employees or contract work out?

Megan — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 17:03:35 +0000

I don't think you can do everything well. You have to specialize to some extent. You've got quite a laundry list of stuff there.

We could look at this in terms of a continuum of three possible specializations - graphics/front-end design, mid-end design, and programming. Most of us "web designers" end up as mid-end designers because we can't compete with people who have really specialized training in graphic design or programming (although there is some leeway in both directions). You probably won't be able to do everything well so you'll have to concentrate on what you do well and get others to do what's outside of your range of expertise.

SEO and Marketing are also important factors that many designers fail to consider. As discussed in other parts of the thread, the business kills is what is going to make or break a professional, especially if your'e planning on working on your own. The ability to market a site that you've created and also to market yourself as a professional and build business relationships with clients and colleagues.

If you want to be a mid-end designer you'll need to know a little bit of graphic design (enough to know when you need to subcontract a logo design or print work!), layout design, xhtml and CSS inside out (this means standards compliant design), a fair amount of SEO and marketing (enough to do a decent job yourself, and to know when to subcontract serious SEO work), and an overview of backend programming (what technologies are available, how to do some basic script installation and such, and when to contract out more serious work). If you have the talent you could go further in either direction (graphic design or programming).

IMO, knowing how to do all this should be secondary to the overall technique - good design, usability, marketing. The ability to make a site work for what it's intended to do (sell a product etc.). I think that's why web design has failed for so many in the past - they focus on what it looks like and how to code it up, not wheter the site is achieving its business objectives.

This is just my opinion, I'm sure others will have different perspectives.

tallon — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 16:49:12 +0000

So, if the direction of the web is changing and such, what would you advise new webmaster-hopefulls to learn in order to be competitive? I am personally working towards knowing css/php/mysql/photoshop/illustrator as well as studying design (database design/graphic design).

anyway, interesting conversation here

JeevesBond — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 13:35:08 +0000

Quote: It's sort of like a rebirth of the dot-com boom of the late 90's.

It is exactly that, there was an item on the World Service about this recently. They were directly comparing the current Web Rennaisance with what happened in the late 90's.

Found a related news story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4333899.stm it's not that story but definately supports it.

I also believe it will take a long time for WYSWYG editors to be able to code strict XHTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL with no coding required. They'll not be anywhere near as efficient as a human.

I'm not saying never, but not for a while at least.

Megan — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 14:42:24 +0000

That's very true, Pete. I'm seeing a lot more idea people coming to the web and wanting to do things online again. It's sort of like a rebirth of the dot-com boom of the late 90's. Of course, there have been a lot of lessons learned there and hopefully now people will be smarter about it!

Quote: What professional designers and developers need to do is catch up with the latest web design trends to survive in the competition.

I totally agree with this. The web is starting to move in a new direciton in a lot of ways, and we need to keep up.

etech-peter — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 11:57:57 +0000

I think there may be an even bigger future market for professional web design and development work. More and more people are now realising that a few years down the line, simple design sites won't work. Many people with a computer can make basic websites, but theres a smaller amount of people who can make really impressive websites that look really good. What professional designers and developers need to do is catch up with the latest web design trends to survive in the competition.

It's how they adapt to those trends and stay in the competition will determine their webdesign and development future.