Is web design a dying art?
As blogging leads the charge for rapid and universal online design, we ask the industry whether the trade is in jeopardy
As blogging leads the charge for rapid and universal online design, we ask the industry whether the trade is in jeopardy
We ask whether the web is at a turning point as a result of a commercial sub-current that is steadily gathering force as it builds its potentially evil undertow. The inexorable rise of automated blogging tools and the arguably inconvenient truth that hosting firms are now selling pre-packaged website solutions with a nice side order of supporting server space is already a reality. But will this trend kill off traditional web design and construction skills?
Those of us who love the web with a passion often regard it as a living-breathing beast that grows and develops on a natural evolutionary scale not dissimilar to nature itself. So do automated solutions have the ability to upset this ecosystem then? Will small-scale web design be wiped out forever and could the deleterious effects be felt higher up the food chain in the corporate web space too?
Trying to set the record straight and find out what the industry really thinks about this rather delicate situation, we spoke to a variety of web designers across the industry to create a ‘vox-pop’ forum that will help you to draw your own conclusions and opinions.
Clay Thompson
Creative director, Monochrome Ltd.
www.monochrome.co.uk/
“Good web design will always find a place on the internet. The web is vast and this means there will always be different levels of design needed for different purposes and automation will not destroy this.
“As a web designer who is focused on real-world use case scenarios, of course I think it’s interesting that automated site construction tools have developed in the way that they have. In fact, I’d probably go so far as to say it was inevitable. But going deeper, I think there will always be a case for professionally managed web consultancy work that has a true appreciation for usability.
“As the web becomes a more sophisticated beast it’s for sure that automation will be there to soak up the volume as the sheer number of users out there demand quick, down and dirty build solutions. But that’s exactly what they will be – down and dirty. There will also be a more ‘plugged in’ iteration of the web that is far more finely attuned to usability. From ease of use, to visual appeal to fundamentals like accessibility and corporate governance, these factors will govern the long term development of what we at Monochrome like to call the ‘productive web’ – the web that really matters. I am not negating the value of automated blogs or website constructs, I am simply saying that long term productivity and profitability will be governed by usability – and this is not something that just happens by mistake.”
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Im a studying Web developer and i do get a bit curious has to question if there is any point learning a fascinating trade, which im so passionate about, when it seems that its being eaten up by so many evils.
Good web design is a subtle and fascinating media. Unfortunately, as the last poster has alleded to, the industry is corrupt and this puts good designers off the media. I believe entirely in designing for the best experience of my visitor. Rewards in this industry are split between the designer and the SEO and until the two are sympathetically joined the industry will continue to pay dividends to the SEO and pat the designers on the back.
The problem these days is everything is changing so rapidly, it’s mentally and physically exhausting to try and keep up as a web designer. While I’ve been doing web design for almost 12 years, it seems that no matter my knowledge or skill level, I just can’t learn all the facets of the web now and simultaneously have the time to build. It’s not just about the art of design anymore, it’s completely gone interactive. I’ve always considered what I do smart, but now I must be a coding genius to even compete with what’s taking over in web design. To anybody considering a web career, it’s about a 5 year cycle and I guarantee you, you will either grow tired and weary of it, or get into a different trade all together.
I have also found that the learning takes up a large part of my time. I try to learn as I build clients sites. It has been a huge investment of my time to learn web design well and to see the current proliferation of so many similar looking CMS based sites is sometimes rather sad as at heart I am an artist. I do beleive that there will always be a place for professional web design as many clients just cannot build a comprehensive site on their own and will always need the professional designers help.
Web design is a dead industry. No one out there gives two shits about paying for web custom design anymore. I’ve been desiging for about 8 years and literally don’t get anymore than MAYBE 1 client per month anymore. With the majority of them just turning out to be broke losers who waste your time.
I defenitely NEVER tell anyone to ever go to school to learn to be a web designer. It’s a complete waste of time as a career choice.
IS WEB DESIGNING A DYING ART.
IS WEB DESIGNING A DYING ART.
IS WEB DESIGNING A DYING ART.
IS WEB DESIGNING A DYING ART.?
IS IT A DYING ART?
SO WEB DESIGNING IS A …..
HAHAHAHAA
WELL, BACK TO THE WEB DESIGN!
It will be dead in the next five years. I get so many calls from prospective clients who all say the same thing… “I heard about this free site… Blah blah… So i can save money but can you set it up…” Automation destroyed a viable career. Anyone studying web based programming right now is wasting their time and needs to switch majors immediately. Don’t listen to someone with a decade of experience, and you’ll have yourself a nice degree you can whipe your ass with. You can’t compete with free, and customers are misinformed and believe these free tools are synonymous with content rich, which they aren’t. Oh well, time to go apply to corporate America.