What is the Difference Between Web Development and Web Design?
If you’re interested in the world of information technology (IT), you might be wondering about the field of web development and design. Although these areas sound similar, they are distinctly different fields requiring entirely different skillsets. Here are some of the differences between the two and how they apply to the IT field.
Design vs Development
Many people make the mistake of using web design and web development interchangeably. While the two occupations are dependent on each other, their roles are very different. Web design is visual and creative. Web development is complex and technical.
Web Designers plan the look and feel of a website. The designer will mock up a visual representation of how a website will look when built--this is commonly referred to as a wireframe. A lot of research, strategy, and data analyzation informs website design best practices. A designer may need to make use of heat mapping, analytics, or other digital data collecting tools to determine how to most effectively design for a specific audience.
Sometimes called User Experience (UX) or User Interface (UI) designers, these professionals incorporate their clients' pre-existing branding elements with modern best practices. All of this works together to help website visitors find the information they need as quickly as possible. The main menu navigation, visual aesthetic, and interactive elements that promote ease-of-use can have a significant impact on a company’s sales.
Web Developers build the actual website. They write code that establishes the branding 'theme' of the website (default font, text size, button colors, etc.) and ensure that the site is functional and secure. A developer must be able to follow a design religiously to ensure that every element has a purpose and executes its function. They write the code that allows business websites to sell items, collect payment, and perform data searches.
There are two main categories of developers: front end and back end. A Front end developer excels at creating visually-pleasing or interactive elements while a Back end developer excels at building databases and other technical aspects. A Full-stack developer is a magical unicorn who excels at both.
Designers are the artists and architects of the digital world. Their tools include color palettes, stock photography, the adobe creative suite, and iced coffee. Developers are the construction workers and builders of the digital world. Their tool bags are filled with various complex coding languages and energy drinks.
Although rarer than the full-stack developer, occasionally you may encounter a web designer/developer. You are in the presence of Genius.
Differences and Similarities
Both designers and developers require an understanding of coding capabilities, security applications, and software limitations. The designer needs to know what is possible in order to create a wireframe that is viable. The developer needs to know how each element of the design works in order to accurately build the website that was designed.
Although the roles differ greatly, designers and developers share a common goal: to direct website visitors to respond with a specific action. This could mean making a purchase, signing up for an email newsletter, scheduling an appointment, or requesting more information. Both the designer and developer need to understand the goals of the website in order to achieve the desired results. In this way, both positions are an important part of marketing and advertising.
Successful designers use colors, alignment, photography, and interactivity to entice visitors to click or take action towards the ultimate goal. Successful developers use HTML, Javascript, CSS, CGI, PHP, and more to enable shopping carts, user authentification, search functions, and more to enable visitors to click or take action.
Web designers create the map. Web developers build the roads.
Web Designer / Developer
If you are the artistic type who loves to express yourself through visual media, you might think design is the obvious choice. Those who prefer the challenges of architectural programming may lean towards development. But if you are adept at both creative and critical thinking, maybe you could be the next unicorn in town.
Web Design and Development go hand-in-hand:
- Designs are stronger when they are created by someone who understands development
- Development is stronger when it is performed by someone who understands the intent behind the design
- Designer/Developers can work solo, creating the layout and building it for clients
- Bragging rights around colleagues who are either designers or developers
Learning development and design side-by-side gives you a unique advantage. Your intimate understanding of the foundations of both disciplines lets you see how these elements work together. You will be able to create designs and write code that helps change the way people experience the online world.
Is a magical journey in web development and design in your future? A Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Software Development with a track in Web Design and Development from ECPI University could be your first step to becoming a unicorn. Contact a helpful admissions representative now to start designing your future.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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