In an era defined by the rapid emergence of digital technology, the creation, development and maintenance of user-friendly websites has indeed turned into a challenging task. The traditional, compartmentalized modes of designing professional and competent sites are simply not applicable anymore. Instead, a new demand for full-stack designers with the capability of crafting dynamic, innovative and sophisticated websites has slowly begun to gain significant traction.
To succeed in their web design careers, these full-stack designers are expected to be highly proficient in the arenas of graphic design, proprietary software, UX/UI, SEO, code writing, and so on. In other words, these designers are required to deal with both front-end and back-end designing processes in an efficient, futuristic and effective way. However, for doing this, they need to acquire some basic web designer skills.
Here is a list of the top web designer skills, developing which can easily help you land an attractive web design job within no time.
1. Basic Designing Tools
The first web designer skill that you must acquire is an understanding of basic designing tools. These tools are the primary platforms using which you can craft a promising website. However, you will need to make sure that you use the right tools at the right time. For instance, Photoshop is a good instrument for image processing, but when it comes to graphic design, Adobe Illustrator will prove to be more helpful. Getting familiar with such intricacies will acquaint you with the entire designing canvas.
2. UX/UI And Visual Design
According to recent research, 75% of people form an opinion about a website, based completely on its look and feel. This means that to become a web designer, you will have to master the craft of enhancing the UX (user experience) & UI (User interface). Begin by designing a website that is visually appealing. Use tools like grid systems, colour psychology, type hierarchy, and web fonts. Ensure that the website is responsive to all kinds of devices. Learning these will instantly give a forward push to your web design career.
3. HTML & CSS
Gaining thorough knowledge about HTML (Hypertext markup language) and CSS (Cascading style sheets) is one of the finest web designer skills that you can aim to learn. Both HTML and CSS are the fundamental blocks upon which the style and structure of a website are built. They enable you to read and edit a page, as often as you want to. By learning these principal languages, you will easily be able to secure a decent web design job.
4. Programming Languages
Apart from HTML and CSS, if you can learn a couple of other programming languages, your web design career prospects will definitely improve. It will be great if you can master JavaScript, Python, Swift and C++ but if you have to choose amongst any one of these, go for JavaScript. This is because, as per a Stack-Overflow survey, more than 65% of designers already prefer to work with Java. Knowing these languages will immediately make you stand a class apart.
5. Web Server Management
A highly overlooked web designer skill, which most designers are not very proficient with is – web server management. Although web servers are not technically within the domain of web designing, understanding their basic functioning will help you prevent downtime while solving problems in a quick and smart way.
6. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
An important website design tip that you must bear in mind is that no web design can reap smooth results unless it is backed by the power of SEO. As web designers, you will have to focus on making the speed, layout, structure and performance of your website, SEO-friendly. For doing this, it will be wise to gain familiarity with the essentials of optimization & search engine operations.
7. Content Management System (CMS)
To become a web designer, you must acquaint yourself with the basic features of CMS. CMS is primarily a software application that integrates the management of digital assets. These assets include web designs, embedded graphics, video-audio files and other programming codes. Knowing how CMS functions will certainly equip you to design websites more effectively.
8. Digital Marketing
As a web designer, you will most likely be an essential part of every digital marketing strategy. Therefore, being aware of how various components of digital marketing operate will prepare you to test your website and ameliorate grievances, if any. Furthermore, digital marketing will also inform you about the latest market trends so that you can manipulate your designs accordingly.
9. Time Management
If you want to know how to become a web designer, you will have to learn the crucial art of time management. This is because you will be required to work in a fast-paced environment where continuous creations, iterations and developments will have to be simultaneously accommodated. By learning how to manage your schedule, your web designing potential will be truly harnessed.
10. Communication
Good communication is a web designer skill that would help you go a long way in your web design career. This is because communication will enable you to convey all forms of technical information in a clear and transparent manner. If your colleagues and clients are both able to comprehend you better, your designing technique and aspirations will witness a great boost.
The Way Forward
In the modern-day, each prospective web designer is required to imbibe a specific set of productive and distinctive web designer skills. These may range from professional and technical skills to leadership and personal skills. Nonetheless, what a good web design career truly requires is the inculcation of sincerity, commitment, and passion. With these forming the core of your intrinsic abilities, it would be extremely easy for you to become a web designer par excellence, within a small amount of time!
If the question of how to become a web designer is still boggling you, you can learn advanced web designer skills by registering for a web design course – here.
