Career: Web Designers
Do you prefer Google or Yahoo? The websites in your “favorites” list are there for a reason -- probably a combination of visual appeal and usability. Creating that perfect combination is what web designers do for a living. By using type (lettering), images, and other visual devices, web designers create a digital playground where consumers can find the information they need while enjoying the ride.
Web designers combine art skills with business savvy to create the look and feel, as well as structure, of websites that are both eye-pleasing and user-friendly.
“Web design presents complex challenges. You need to combine art, design, illustration, and computer science to achieve a user-friendly experience.”
Gary, Freelance Web Designer
Are You Ready To...?
- Design websites under deadline pressure
- Master many software programs, such as PhotoShop
- Create animated images and graphics
- Use HTML
- Use type and images expertly
- Work closely with clients
It Helps to Be...
Part artist, part computer geek: you’ll need to master a huge variety of software programs, from HTML to web design and multimedia design tools. Equal parts creativity and business sense will also help you succeed.
Make High School Count
- Sign up for as many computer classes as you can, and learn as many design-oriented software programs as you can.
- Volunteer to make a website for a friend or an organization.
- Study business. You’ll gain an understanding of how websites are used in the corporate world.
- Study art. It will help you develop the eye for color, design, and proportion that you’ll need.
“Design’s a very strict discipline: there’s integration of typography and art and business and culture and strategy and a lot of things that make it work well.”
Steve, Chairman, graphic design firm
Outlook
Government economists predict very fast job growth, through 2016, in the computer systems design industry, which includes firms that provide Web development services. People with up-to-date skills in Web design should be in demand. Keep in mind that skills in this field become stale quickly. You'll need to pay attention to new technologies and trends and keep learning.
Compensation
A small survey by the American Institute of Graphic Arts showed that the 2008 median yearly salary of web designers was $52,000.
