Different areas of Design
- Graphic Design (print)
- Interactive Design (web design)
- User Interface Design (web/app design)
- User Experience Design (function/user-centered design)
Front End
- Layout and design
- HTML (base template)
- CSS (styling)
- JAVASCRIPT & JQUERY (functionality)
Back End
- PHP Programming or server side scripting of the content management system
Web Design - what makes it successful?
We all spend a lot of our time online looking at websites. What are some of your favorites? What makes a site successful?
What makes a good designer?
Being a good communicator, but more importantly practicing "thoughtful listening". This will help you to fully understand the scope of the project and the motives and goals of your client or collaborators. This is an important first step in beginning to successfully translate ideas into successful design.
Know your Target Market
Target marketing allows you to focus your marketing dollars and brand message on a specific market that is more likely to buy from you than other markets. This is a much more affordable, efficient, and effective way to reach potential clients and generate business.
Know your Target Audience
Who are they? How do different audiences affect the design of your site?
Things to Identify
Demographics
What are they called? What is their gender, age, geographic location, household size and income, the industry and location of where they work, education, places they congregate and their political beliefs.
Behaviors
Look into attitudes, lifestyles, values and interests or hobbies. What sites do they visit, what social media do they use, what magazines do they read?
Competitors
Check out competitor sites to understand the look and feel of the information architecture. What are your competitors doing that your site isn't? In what ways can you improve your site?
DO YOU ENJOY LEARNING?
Good, because this is required. Never stop, and if you look at the skills employers want you to know, it just keeps increasing.
