The internet is here to stay and so are websites! Think of a career in website design if you have an artistic bent of mind
An online presence has become extremely essential for any business today; in fact it has become important for anyone! Get online and you will see that there are websites for organisations, NGOs, institutes, stores, services provided and even for people – celebrities and otherwise. During the last few years, web design and website design has become really big, since most organisations have realised the value of creating a website to attract as many visitors as possible.
In fact, even with the do-it-yourself websites, the design templates are created by experts who are well trained in the field. The future seems brighter than ever, since the internet us the way to go. Everyone is trying to make their presence felt in the virtual world. With new technological advancements like 3D or 4D technology and other breakthroughs, the web has become an experience in itself.
The internet plays an important part in people’s lives in today’s day and age. It can be a teacher for new things, it can be an advisor when a person is stuck and it can be a knowledge provider when needed. It can act as a business accelerator and catalyst or also as a friend. It all depends on the user’s need and mood. For this information to be available to the public at large, however, someone needs to put it up as well. And for that, again, a website is needed.
Each website ends up being a different virtual world with its own rules. The web development industry grew at a high rate in the last couple of years (around 25%) and it is expected to grow even faster in the next few years. The ease of creating a website has facilitated many web presences, which have also been fuelled by reduced costs of developing and maintaining a website.
A website serves many purposes, and many people go into creating a website. It is of course design oriented, but other things also need to be taken into consideration. Some of the aspects that designers need to think about are – ease of navigation and user interface. The former refers to the process when the visitor comes to your website and he can go around the website very easily, not having to waste time at all in looking for what he wants. User interface is also a similar approach, where the designer needs to think of how a visitor will interact with a website and what the guiding factors will be. There are several functionalities like the layout of the website and its pages, the colour scheme, and the balance of the elements. So you need to have one aspect clear – it is not only about beautifying the page.
Although there are no fixed requirements to enter this profession, knowledge always helps. There are several private computer institutes which offer courses in design and web layout. With gaining so much importance, there is also a need for an aspirant to understand the elements of design and colour. So, even if you have a design qualification, you may do well in this field, but you will be required to build a few software operation skills pertaining to design. It would be advisable to opt for an education in the field before entering it, since it will ground you in the basics, and without the basics you will find yourself lost on the job.
Look at all the options you have when you want to take up a course in web design, and then compare and contrast all of them to arrive at your decision so as to which one to opt for.
This is a field where the sky is the limit. The work is not confined to any one element, but several functionalities and responsibilities. The designations in the field also vary accordingly. A typical design team will have one or two senior designers and a handful of junior designers. The tasks are divided and deadlines are given out. Even though designers work individual in different aspects, they need to realise that at the end, the work has to come together to form the same final product. A junior level designer will hold fewer and less difficult responsibilities, and these will improve with hierarchy. After a few years of experience, a web designer can be a main designer on a project who handles different decisions. He can also dabble in custom projects.
Openings exist in web development companies and design companies. One should keep an open mind, since often; different elements of a website are designed by different people. It may so happen that separate openings might come up for the design aspects and the other aspects. These creative openings can also be found in advertising agencies and design firms.
The work is extremely challenging and diverse, since every project is different and you need to be on top of your game to consistently offer good design solutions to various clients. That is what makes this a satisfying and interesting work profile. Today you could be working for a website for an institution and a week later for a restaurant. Perhaps a little later may be a laundry or a plant nursery! Who knows! Payment in this industry varies. There can be annual salary ranges, payment for a particular job, or even payment on an hourly basis. With a good qualifications and a strong portfolio, one can command at least Rs. 18,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month at the beginning.
Yesha Kurunde / Pursuing her course
When studying in this course, I was afraid that I might not be able to bring my artistic talent within the framework of a computer, but my instructor helped me a lot to overcome this notion. I am a good painter, but I had a mental block towards drawing on the computer. With the practical design element, I am now able to do well. Another aspect I want to stress on is that a student aspirant needs to constantly work on various projects to build a good portfolio. A portfolio is the only way in which one can show his work. Understand that for a design job, no one asks an aspirant to undergo a test like journalism or software companies might ask. As a designer, it is your duty to explore your fullest potential and show that to the interviewers, so that they know what kind of work you are capable of. Students have to find the time to build a portfolio along with pursuing the course. The portfolio will reflect your growth as a designer.
During our course discussions, we also learn that designers ought to genuinely listen to the clients and their needs and provide design solutions accordingly. In that respect, conflicts can arise between the designer and the client in terms of certain elements, in which case the designer needs to gracefully accept the changes suggested and not enter into an argument.
Sameer Gaitonde , HSC student
I am a good artist and I want to pursue a design course in J. J. School of Art after my class 12 exams. I do, however feel that I need to be up-to-date on my computer skills as well, so along with my formal education, I want to take up a course in a computer institute. My parents are worried of the investment and are asking me to do only one course at a time. Please advise.
Our professional answers: First, I feel glad that you already know what you want to do in future and that your parents are already on board with the idea of you taking up a design course. Your conflict is legitimate, but do not worry, it is nothing that cannot be sorted. You design course will be three years in duration, so I would advise you to focus only on that in the first year. By the end of the first year, you will know what you have achieved, and what to expect in the next two years. You will also know the kind of time commitment you need for your design course. Perhaps, computer aided design will be a part of your curriculum at the school, and you may not need an additional computer-related course. That’s why, I suggest you wait a year and then decide what you need to do ahead. On another note, I agree with your parents, since art is a course which needs a good amount of investment, even for the materials.
