Professional web designers
Encyclopedia
Professional web designers are found in many web design
companies with the goal of creating website
s that meet client specifications. Satisfying client needs and wants is the main objective
of all web design teams. A web design may include a project manager
, staff designer, senior designer, art director
, and/or creative director
. Some of these titles and responsibilities are interchangeable and dependent upon project specifications. Each person is responsible for different roles within any given web-based or print design
project. A web design team has to be aware of client demands and project budget outcomes. Many clients want professional web or print design at inexpensive rates. It’s up to the team to determine the project life cycle, independent roles and how the team will function to meet project objectives.
.
A web design team must communicate design concepts and client specifications. Effective communication will be the end result of the final project. Good communication with the client and the team will results in overall quality outcomes. Furthermore, poor communication will have team members frustrated and a client that does not want to pay for poor print or web design. Web design teams must establish roles to be effective.
), “The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.” (Pinto, J., 2007, p. 483) Web design project manager’s important roles include meeting a stated goal, scheduling
, using resources wisely, setting goals, and focusing on customer objectives. A project manager focuses on a project life cycle which includes four stages; “Conceptualization, refers to the development of the initial goal and technical specifications for a project. Planning, is the stage in which all detailed specifications, schematics, schedules, and other plans are developed. Execution, the actual work of the project is performed, the system developed, or the product created and fabricated. Termination, occurs when the completed project is transferred to the customer.” (Pinto, J., 2007, p. 11)
Staff designers or sometimes called a Junior designer, work on magazine design, draw maps, support production, and do general studio tasks. A minimum of two years experience is needed and a BA in graphic design. Programs include Adobe InDesign
, Illustrator
, and Photoshop. Staff designers report to Senior designers, how are more responsible to identify concepts in Adobe Illustrator and images
in Photoshop. However, this position is not considered a management position.
A senior designer may have around five to seven years experience and have knowledge
in company design programs and platforms. The Art Director is in charge of both staff designers and senior designers in the web design team. “In small firms, and art director may work hands-on with projects and be the person solely responsible for creative output. In a large firm or in-house creative department, an art director may have designers report to them and work in tandem with a copywriter.” (DeSetto, J., 2009, p. 56) Art directors are responsible for the overall quality of media, graphics
, or web design of business
to business project. The art director communicates with web design team about client expectations and budget. The person in this position holds excellent interpersonal and communication skills, presentation skills, and they are a professional
leader with five to seven years of on the job experience. The art director and creative director go hand and hand with responsibilities and tasks. Dependant
upon the firm they are both important and report to the project manager. Lastly, freelance specialist can bring new projects to the table or do specialized work in any given area of expertise. Most specialist have specific skills in Adobe, flash, or Photoshop. These skills are used in web design projects that need an extra focus that is unique to the clients needs or wants.
and sense of belonging. Web design teams have one purpose and that is to meet client expectations. Web design teams are successful because of the small group dynamics and meeting small sizable goals to compete the overall objective. A team, “is a coordinated group of individuals organized to work together to achieve a specific, common goal.” (Beebe, S., & Masterson, 2009, p. 6) A web design team has clear goals and objectives that are well defined. Meeting client deadlines and creating quality work, motivates web design teams to do their best work using their knowledge and skill set to complete print and web-based design. Moreover, communication in this team setting is by far the most important aspect to complete projects. A web design team has to be aware of client demands and project outcomes. Thus, team leadership, duties, tasks, roles, and communication must be developed within a web design company.
Web design
Web design is the process of planning and creating a website. Text, images, digital media and interactive elements are used by web designers to produce the page seen on the web browser...
companies with the goal of creating website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
s that meet client specifications. Satisfying client needs and wants is the main objective
Objective
Objective may refer to:* Objective , to achieve a final set of actions within a given military operation* Objective pronoun, a pronoun as the target of a verb* Objective , an element in a camera or microscope...
of all web design teams. A web design may include a project manager
Project manager
A project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers can have the responsibility of the planning, execution, and closing of any project, typically relating to construction industry, architecture, computer networking, telecommunications or software...
, staff designer, senior designer, art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
, and/or creative director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
. Some of these titles and responsibilities are interchangeable and dependent upon project specifications. Each person is responsible for different roles within any given web-based or print design
Print design
Print design is the process of creating and formatting projects using layout software that is ready to be printed by the end user. It is especially helpful when multiple persons or agencies are working on the same project....
project. A web design team has to be aware of client demands and project budget outcomes. Many clients want professional web or print design at inexpensive rates. It’s up to the team to determine the project life cycle, independent roles and how the team will function to meet project objectives.
Responsibilities
Project responsibilities and roles are different between jobs. Some jobs may only take five days or less. Moreover, large projects may take several months to complete. There are many decisions a web design team must make to complete the common objective and out-comes the client is looking for. It is the team’s responsibility to meet these goals and objectives in a timely manner through communicationCommunication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
.
A web design team must communicate design concepts and client specifications. Effective communication will be the end result of the final project. Good communication with the client and the team will results in overall quality outcomes. Furthermore, poor communication will have team members frustrated and a client that does not want to pay for poor print or web design. Web design teams must establish roles to be effective.
Independent roles
Project Manager (managementManagement
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
), “The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.” (Pinto, J., 2007, p. 483) Web design project manager’s important roles include meeting a stated goal, scheduling
Scheduling (production processes)
Scheduling is an important tool for manufacturing and engineering, where it can have a major impact on the productivity of a process. In manufacturing, the purpose of scheduling is to minimize the production time and costs, by telling a production facility when to make, with which staff, and on...
, using resources wisely, setting goals, and focusing on customer objectives. A project manager focuses on a project life cycle which includes four stages; “Conceptualization, refers to the development of the initial goal and technical specifications for a project. Planning, is the stage in which all detailed specifications, schematics, schedules, and other plans are developed. Execution, the actual work of the project is performed, the system developed, or the product created and fabricated. Termination, occurs when the completed project is transferred to the customer.” (Pinto, J., 2007, p. 11)
Staff designers or sometimes called a Junior designer, work on magazine design, draw maps, support production, and do general studio tasks. A minimum of two years experience is needed and a BA in graphic design. Programs include Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is a software application produced by Adobe Systems. It can be used to create works such as posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers and books. In conjunction with Adobe Digital Publishing Suite InDesign can publish content suitable for tablet devices...
, Illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, and Photoshop. Staff designers report to Senior designers, how are more responsible to identify concepts in Adobe Illustrator and images
Image
An image is an artifact, for example a two-dimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to some subject—usually a physical object or a person.-Characteristics:...
in Photoshop. However, this position is not considered a management position.
A senior designer may have around five to seven years experience and have knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
in company design programs and platforms. The Art Director is in charge of both staff designers and senior designers in the web design team. “In small firms, and art director may work hands-on with projects and be the person solely responsible for creative output. In a large firm or in-house creative department, an art director may have designers report to them and work in tandem with a copywriter.” (DeSetto, J., 2009, p. 56) Art directors are responsible for the overall quality of media, graphics
Graphics
Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings,or...
, or web design of business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
to business project. The art director communicates with web design team about client expectations and budget. The person in this position holds excellent interpersonal and communication skills, presentation skills, and they are a professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
leader with five to seven years of on the job experience. The art director and creative director go hand and hand with responsibilities and tasks. Dependant
Dependant
This article is related to law. For the personality trait, see Dependent Personality DisorderA dependant or dependent is a person who relies on another as a primary source of income...
upon the firm they are both important and report to the project manager. Lastly, freelance specialist can bring new projects to the table or do specialized work in any given area of expertise. Most specialist have specific skills in Adobe, flash, or Photoshop. These skills are used in web design projects that need an extra focus that is unique to the clients needs or wants.
Team functions
The main reason why this small group functions so well is meeting with a common purposeCommon purpose
The doctrine of common purpose, common design or joint enterprise is a legal doctrine in some common law jurisdictions which imputes criminal liability on the participants to a criminal enterprise for all that results from that enterprise...
and sense of belonging. Web design teams have one purpose and that is to meet client expectations. Web design teams are successful because of the small group dynamics and meeting small sizable goals to compete the overall objective. A team, “is a coordinated group of individuals organized to work together to achieve a specific, common goal.” (Beebe, S., & Masterson, 2009, p. 6) A web design team has clear goals and objectives that are well defined. Meeting client deadlines and creating quality work, motivates web design teams to do their best work using their knowledge and skill set to complete print and web-based design. Moreover, communication in this team setting is by far the most important aspect to complete projects. A web design team has to be aware of client demands and project outcomes. Thus, team leadership, duties, tasks, roles, and communication must be developed within a web design company.