Understanding the Role of a Web Designer
Web design is a complex art that blends aesthetics with functionality to create websites that are attractive, informative and engaging. If you’re thinking about entering the field or are already a web designer, having a solid understanding of the role will help you succeed.
Web designers use a variety of tools and technologies to build website content. They include graphic and UI/UX design software, prototyping applications and wireframing tools to draft layouts and visuals for a site’s content. They also work with coding languages to translate their designs into functioning webpages.
A website’s navigation and structure are determined by the layout, color palette, fonts, and overall style. The goal is to create a website that is easy to navigate and reflects the brand’s image. For example, a law firm’s website might highlight its areas of expertise and feature case studies that showcase the firm’s success stories. Meanwhile, an e-commerce site might highlight its product offerings and provide clear links to purchase items.
Keeping up with new trends in web design is important, but it’s equally as crucial to remember what matters most: creating a website that is user-friendly. Frustrated visitors are less likely to stay on a site, let alone return, so web designers need to keep user experience top of mind when creating their layouts and visuals.
Web designers also consider the size and shape of their text and graphics when they lay out a page. They may use different font sizes, weights and types to establish a visual hierarchy that is easy to read. They might even add accents or ligatures to make certain letters stand out more than others.
Another common web design practice is to place calls-to-action in prominent positions on a page, such as the agroforestry organization Muvuca Agroflorestal’s homepage. Placing a large picture or video on the homepage can immediately grab visitor attention and lead them to learn more about the organization’s mission, services, products and offers.
When designing a website, web designers need to be mindful of the loading time of each page. No one wants to wait for a page to load, so it’s essential that sites have fast loading speeds. Web designers can improve speed by minimizing the number of images and using optimized text.
Once a site has been designed, web designers need to ensure that the page is updated and maintained. Outdated information can confuse visitors and lead them to leave a site. A web designer can keep a site up-to-date by introducing fresh visuals, updating text and adding new pages. They can also improve a website’s performance by optimizing code, working on SEO and performing an accessibility audit.