The definition of 'Web-Designer' is quite possibly one of the more over used & misinterpreted titles in the IT market. For anyone considering getting in the marketplace, some details of the distinct aspects might help to make things clear. Web Design involves the 'technical' elements of a successful website as well as the 'creative' elements. Many people think a web-designer is somebody that is in charge of the visible areas of the web-site. Which means a 'web-designer' is basically an artist who has had some technical instruction. Yet, a modern 'web designer' will realistically be as involved with the technical side of things as much as the creative element. We can illustrate this with greater clarity if we separate web-design down into its component parts.

To start with, there are the graphic artists, that design & assemble the graphic symbols & images which you see on any website. They most often bring this about by means of graphic layout and animation software (like Adobe Flash & 'Photoshop'), & are not strictly web-site designers as such. Usually, they'll have come from an artistic background, and may well have studied at university or college level. Evidently, this role demands a good artistic flair.

Second, there are the web-site designers, who make use of design environments such as Adobe Dreamweaver to create the lay-out & feel of the webpage. They use the work done by the graphic-artist, and in partnership with their client deliver an emerging style & 'navigational' composition for the new webpage. A web designer with limited understanding may well focus on the form instead of the 'function' of a website. But, you must actually begin with an understanding of the functions its required to do to build a really productive web-site. It could be that it is basically a web based inventory, or an E-commerce website where merchandise can be bought there and then. Or perhaps it will consist of lots of video and heavy graphics. Then again it could be largely an information web site, where it's essential to supply easy access to relevant web-pages of text. Regardless of what you want from a web-site, it must - at its most elementary level - carry out the 'function' for which it is intended. So many web-sites look brilliant but are a nightmare to 'navigate' & find what you'd like - and so users leave and never return. The goal of any professional web-designer is first and foremost to build an experience that visitors enjoy & are comfortable with - so that they will come back again and again.

Professional web-site designers may also enhance their offering if they branch-out into fields like project-management & e-commerce for example. 'Search Engine Optimisation' (SEO) is another discipline which deals with how a web site is listed with search engines like google - so it may be easily found (this is sometimes an entire job by itself.) And behind the scenes but vitally important are the web-server installers & administrators who make sure that the whole thing operates efficiently. Strictly speaking they are network-administrator professionals though.

The Adobe Creative Suite is regarded as the most commercially popular design-environment employed by web-site designers these days. These essential programs are currently ('10) on Version 4. The software program that builds websites is Adobe Dreamweaver, & 'Adobe Flash' accesses graphical content material which can be animated and interactive. You could claim that 'Dreamweaver' is the Word-Processor of the Adobe Creative Suite series. Text and graphics can be displayed (according to certain limits) and then a basic inter-activity can be created by page-linking. Dreamweaver (or any other web-design environment) produces HTML ('Hyper Text Markup Language') program-code in the background. This is the 'language' of web browsers, & is a script which essentially 'draws' & controls the page you're seeing. Alongside HTML are the layout tag languages - like CSS & XML. As they are 'standardised', these will work on multiple platforms to facilitate more stream-lined HTML coding and more efficient layout techniques. What this means is the web page looks exactly the same on MS Internet Explorer, 'Mozilla Firefox', Opera, 'Safari' etc. (at least, that's the idea!) And so though you're placing graphic blocks and text, in the background, 'Dreamweaver' is converting this into 'code'. If you are going to be a commercially viable web-designer, you'll have to have a thorough knowledge of these types of 'languages'.

The most technically-trained website experts are often the web-developers. They will not just understand 'HTML', 'CSS' and XML, but will have also trained in 'proper' programming languages such as PHP, ASP.net, Visual Basic, 'C#', 'Java' among others. Quite a few also have got a very good knowledge of SQL, the database language - as the information on most large modern websites is stored in this particular 'language'. The majority of E-commerce sites aren't the result of a large bunch of designers who have built 1000s of web-pages in a lay-out format. More commonly, after the construction of a place holder 'template', the material will be taken from a database & 'dynamically' inserted. This not only makes the building, management and enhancements hugely more efficient, it equally makes for a far more consistent web-site.

A lot of independent web designers can handle a number of these jobs themselves; indeed we come into contact with a number who are able to on a regular basis. However, it will take time to acquire that level of expertise. A web-design program then that will prepare you to get into the workplace should consist of the following - Firstly, an introduction to basic web design, followed by teaching in Adobe 'Dreamweaver' and an overview of the principal elements of Adobe Flash. This would then lead on to an understanding of 'HTML' & 'CSS', and then some coaching into the area of E-commerce. PHP really should be mastered in order that dynamic web-sites can be constructed (ASP.Net is much more involved, & PHP is more straightforward to get into at first,) and a basic understanding of Databases & 'SEO' should be mastered. All this is simply to get to a standard of technical competence where you're able to work with a diverse enough array of sites. The physical skillsets have to develop first, before you can elevate them to a natural and flowing style - similar to the time you were learning to drive your car. You'd probably need to give yourself around 400-500 hrs to study and competently master a wide ranging training program such as this - therefore if your plan is to do this along with employment it could be carried out within one year. Detailed preparation to obtain the appropriate training package for you is a great investment in your future - skilled career experts can help you sort the best way forward before you begin.

Its essential to understand that even the finest web design programs can only provide you with the methods and procedures - not one can turn you in to a professional web designer. As you work on your training course, take the time to construct and develop a large selection of your own sites to produce a portfolio of your work. Design web-sites about your special interest, your pet, a favourite band or Television show. Build an interactive web-site, & begin building traffic towards it. 'Adobe' accreditations are of help, but how you can apply what you've learned says much more about you as a web-designer!

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