A Career in Web Design

Web Designer Job Description

Creating storyboard art for a major corporation, animating a 30-second commercial for a leading film, sifting through images of supermodels--these are all things you could be doing if you pursue a career in web design.

Web designers generate the look and feel of a website. This includes graphics, font, color scheme, layout, and sometimes, written content. Designers also present and discuss ideas with clients, interpret market research and work under tight deadlines. Design projects might range from creating a retail website to developing an interactive educational product.

Common duties of a web designer may include:

• Speaking with clients to determine their needs and ideas
• Using Adobe Photoshop to create graphics or manipulate images
• Writing text to market a client's services or product
• Laying out a website's navigation pattern
• Choosing color schemes
• Presenting a mock-up of your ideas to a client

Web Designer Work Environment

Web designers are hot commodities in nearly every sector of commerce, including business, education, health care and government. A career in web design does not limit you to only designing websites. Careers for web designers exist in any web-based or animated media, such as cell phones, video games and advertisements.

Many large and medium-sized companies employ an in-house web design/development staff to create, update and maintain their website. In addition to designing an external website for the company's customers, web designers may also design internal websites used by company employees.

Some web designers find work with Internet consulting firms or small web design firms that specialize in designing for a certain industry or field.

Other web designers choose to work as independent freelancers, auctioning their services to small companies or individuals who do not want to hire someone full time to manage their site. Freelance web designers often have the flexibility to work from home on a project-by-project basis.

Types of Web Designers

Whether you want to write content, select type-font, focus on computer programming or do all three at once, there is a career in web design for you.

Here is a list of web design careers:

• Content Developer - Writes and develops content such as text, audio and video clips.
• Graphic Designer - Concentrates on the images, color, type-font and other visual elements.
• Information Architect - Designs the navigation of a website and structural model of the information.
• User Interface / Experience Designer - Collaborates with clients, designers, engineers and marketing departments to make sure the website is easy to use.
• Web Programmer / Developer - Writes the programming code that makes the website function. Learn more about web developer careers...
• Webmaster / Systems Administrator - Maintains the site and checks to make sure it is working properly.