{"id":397,"date":"2021-06-21T11:36:11","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T11:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/suimy.me\/?p=397"},"modified":"2024-05-01T17:06:55","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T17:06:55","slug":"web-development-vs-web-design-unveiling-the-difference-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/suimy.me\/index.php\/2021\/06\/21\/web-development-vs-web-design-unveiling-the-difference-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Web Development vs. Web Design: Unveiling The Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Does the difference between\u00a0web development<\/a>\u00a0vs web design confuse you? Did you try to get your mind around the various roles and responsibilities of both parties, but found yourself in a \u2018chicken and egg\u2019 kind of situation? MPC is coming to the rescue!<\/p>\n

In this article, I\u2019ll\u00a0define the roles of a web developer and a web designer<\/strong>, compare their daily responsibilities and tasks inside a web development process and take a look at the resources and tools they use. This short guide will help you understand the difference between web design and development.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Web Designer vs Web Developer: Is There Even a Difference?!<\/h2>\n

Both web designers and web developers build websites, so what\u2019s the fuss? Well, the contrast lies in the range of responsibilities and skills of these roles. In a pinch, a web designer is what a fashion designer is for a brand like Chanel, while a web developer is a seamstress. They do different jobs, but the outcome of both heavily depends on and influences the other. And while these people tend to claim they \u2018can\u2019t stand\u2019 the other party, in fact they can\u2019t live without each other.<\/p>\n

Before I go into details, let me say that some web designers have coding skills as well, and some web developers are skilled in design too. Sometimes, people experienced in both of these roles are called\u00a0\u2018devsigners\u2019<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 this term is heavily connected to WordPress development. I won\u2019t go into details here, but let\u2019s just say that a\u00a0WordPress designer<\/a>\/developer \u2018unicorn\u2019 will rely on this CMS and its possibilities; other devsigners may specialize in an even simpler website builder like\u00a0Wix<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Web Designers: The Visual Aspect Of a Website<\/h2>\n

A web designer is responsible for the visual elements of the website, but not for making it all work in the end. Most often, web designers create things like a\u00a0user interface<\/strong>\u00a0(which is an entire website layout) and graphic design (frequently in the form of\u00a0wireframes and clickable prototypes<\/strong>) that\u2019s later translated into code. They\u2019re also responsible for choosing color palettes, typography, illustrations, and the overall feeling of the website.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, visual designers are often engaged in the analysis part of the project, utilizing tools that help them understand the end users\u2019 needs, behaviors, and preferences. They may run user tests and UX analysis to identify problem points in existing designs, and later use the results and their own experience to provide optimal solutions for the new website.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Workshops & Wireframes<\/h3>\n

In most\u00a0software development models<\/a>, the design process forgoes the website development phase, as it\u2019s easier to present & discuss with the stakeholders and get their feedback. This reduces the risk of time and resources being wasted on developing UI elements that won\u2019t make it to the final line.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n

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As web designers tend to have soft skill sets, they usually team up with Project Managers and Solution Architects to\u00a0run product workshops<\/strong>\u00a0(however, in most cases, these are attended by both web designers and web developers) for\u00a0software development outsourcing<\/a>\u00a0processes. During these, a variety of tools and techniques are used to achieve a consensus in terms of the end product\u2019s visuals and features.\u00a0Mood boards, style tiles, storyboards, collages, and wireframes may be used to illustrate the concepts and the general feel of the new website<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Workshops develop the initial idea of a product, set out a roadmap for future development, and give a solid foundation for web designers and web developers to work on. The outcome of this process will include the scope of features required for the product, wireframes, user flows, user stories, color schemes, fonts, and graphic elements.<\/p>\n

A web designer may also use their creative juices to create information flow for the end product or, if need be, conceptualize the entire branding of a product or a client\u2019s company. They can design a multitude of products including a\u00a0website design<\/a>, a mobile app, native & hybrid apps, e-Commerce websites, marketing design, and more. Regardless of the product, they translate the client\u2019s visions and ideas into an on-screen reality.<\/p>\n

Designers in software development can be subdivided into two specialist areas:<\/p>\n

<\/span>UX Designers<\/h3>\n

The role of a UX designer is heavily connected to skill sets like analytical thinking and knowing how to use data to their advantage. These designers use a handful of tools to\u00a0understand how users interact with the website<\/strong>: where do they expect to find certain information or links, do they skip specific sections or scroll straight to reach them, do they use buttons and other interactive elements, do they try to click on static elements because they look confusing, etc.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n

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Then, they\u00a0translate these details into websites that catch the users\u2019 attention<\/strong>, meet their expectations and needs, and make them stay and come back for more. UX designers help you get more money as more and more users feel drawn to the product. Their role is also closely tied to the concept of\u00a0Information Architecture<\/a>, which involves planning and organizing the structure of the entire product for optimal usability and great UX.<\/p>\n

In a pinch, UX designers work on the end user\u2019s experience with the website, creating different scenarios and steps for using the product.<\/p>\n

<\/span>UI Designers<\/h3>\n

UI designers are responsible for\u00a0designing user-friendly layouts<\/strong>\u00a0that are pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate. They also rewrite business goals to user journeys (simple steps needed to perform a certain interaction with the website, like buying an item from an online shop).<\/p>\n

The key differences between them and UX designers really are subtle:\u00a0UI focuses on the appearance of a product<\/strong>, its aesthetics, and ultimate feel, while UX relies on research, surveys, and data to bring valuable input to the table. However,\u00a0both roles are crucial for product success<\/strong>, as they focus on different aspects and contribute to the final product in multiple ways.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Other Job Titles & Roles<\/h3>\n

As you can see, web designers can \u2018hide\u2019 under different job titles. The ones I\u2019ve mentioned above are often combined into\u00a0one role of UX\/UI designer<\/strong>\u00a0(sometimes dubbed as Visual Designer) that\u00a0has experience and knowledge of both aspects<\/strong>. Other software houses set apart a\u00a0Product Designer\u00a0<\/strong>role that involves both robust design experience and business knowledge.<\/p>\n

That being said, a web designer of any sorts shouldn\u2019t be confused with a graphic artist.\u00a0 However, this role can be a valuable addition to a design team. They will greatly contribute to any illustration-heavy project, branding challenge, or any other product that requires high-level custom graphics.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Tools & Resources Of a Web Designer<\/h3>\n

A web designer\u2019s toolbox is a comprehensive set of weapons serving different purposes.<\/p>\n

For mere design functions, web designers typically use tools like\u00a0Adobe\u00a0<\/a>Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, or other graphic design software that enables high-level design of a web application. For ready-made components, they\u2019ll rely on resources like stock photography, graphic assets, font & icon libraries, and color palettes. All these elements come together to create a stunning brand with perfect fonts<\/a>, making the website visually appealing and engaging for visitors.<\/p>\n

Finally, to deliver designs that meet technical specifications, they\u2019ll utilize image optimization and compression tools. Web designers may also use Zeplin, a tool that acts as a middleman between them and the developers, helping to deliver and code the designs more efficiently.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the analytical part of designing websites requires solutions like Hotjar, CrazyEgg, Google Analytics, and Google Optimize to get valuable data.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n

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Most web designers will follow brand websites, newsletters, and other sources of latest website design<\/a> trends, standards, and best practices. Platforms like Dribbble, Behance, and even Pinterest are great sources of inspiration as well.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Web Designer\u2019s Skills<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s skip the obvious design skills like an \u2018artsy\u2019 feel, aesthetic sense, color theory, typography, etc. and get into more detail. On top of these, a web designer should have:<\/p>\n