Web design: the new print
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- monNom0
I think it ultimately comes down to company size, and project scope.
On one end there are 1 man shows that call themselves 'web designers' and they do everything from sales to account mgmt, to design/front end code/ back end code,server maintenance, reception and billing.
On the other end you have large art department 'web designers' that get their copy from the copywriter, get their styling from the art director, get their assets from the branding guys, get their wireframes from the IA guys, etc. This type is purely thinking about aesthetics and composition. And often, it's to fill a box in the design that someone else did before them. They never design anything more than great looking boxes, so they never have to think about html. This works great for ex-print people (not meant to disparage).
It's hard to scale the freedom that comes from the the one-man show to the needs to a large art department servicing big, content-heavy websites. If everyone in the large art department had their way, the website would fall apart within a day.
For me, (and I think most want the same), I want to be somewhere in between these two extremes. Lots of control, but not on the front-line for every aspect of the project.
- ********0
Actually design is still design and front end programming is the new print.
The designer would create mockups in Photoshop or Indesign, and hand them off a traditional offset printer. However as print dies, the front end programmer is the new print, who would replicate the design and churn out additional features like printers did. Replacing physical paper interactions with virtual ones done in code.
- BarryEvans0
The worst are designers who know little about how the web works and will never compromise on anything that may affect their 'unique vision'. Especially such 'trivial' things a 'usability' or 'technical limitations'.
Always best when designers and developers listen and learn from each other.
- awebdeveloper0
If you know the structure of how a HTML document actually works it makes everyones life easier in the process. It's not going to stem your creativity or detract from anything, sounds like a shit lazy designer to me
- exador10
like a fair number of the older crowd here, i came from the print world back in 1999...I'd worked for several years in traditional advertising, mostly doing print ad campaigns, etc....
When i started doing web design, it was for a fairly large company (close to 500 people)
I asked right up front if they wanted me to start taking courses in html,etc....but the top manager basically said 'look...we got several hundred top flight engineers and web developers here....it'd take years for you to get up to that level....what we want from you is top-flight design work.'....
and so it began.
It's been a long time since then...been through corporate take-overs, upsizing, downsizing, and just about everything in-between....
I'm actually still with the same core-group i started with back in '99 working for the same guy that made that statement...
I'm now the creative director for the whole company and still don't do any code....but.....and i want to stress this....i live, breathe and eat this industry....I read just about all the top developer blogs, i ended up getting some training in UX and UI along the way, and try my best to keep up with every facet of the industry....the way i look at it, i may not be able to code myself, but i sure as fuck understand all the principles...i think anyone that works as a designer these days should be as well read on the subject, although I'm a bit biased...i'm a bit of a geek about this stuff and simply find it fascinating....always looking for what the next bleeding edge bit of html5 or advanced jquery stuff will allow me to do with our projects...and fortunately for me, the developers i work with are every bit as geeky about this shit as me...so it's a good mix.....
- antimotion0
RE: OMG comment. Right on. I think this pretty much sums it up. "Design is design" no matter if it's executed on tree pulp or it becomes stimulated electricity on a screen - it's all just visual presence in the end. AND in the end it usually takes a few more hands to become material reality than a singular entity.
A painter can paint a picture, but do they in fact create the canvas it's painted upon - possibly, but most likely not, same goes for the paint.
I think projects turn out better when there's a mesh of professionals working together in a positive forward motion. It helps to understand each others language, but not necessary to fully comprehend one another as long as the vision is mostly clear. Projects are organic and in my experience, always a learning process. Fun is the key ingredient and the code of codes in my mind.
- valentim0
usability, accessibility!
- obsolete0
From my personal experience I have to agree.
I've worked with brilliant designers who could code, and some who couldn't. But they all loved the web.
What I think is that nowadays, there is a new/old breed of people who couldn't care less about internet. They say they are designers and that's it of course they can do beautiful comps, but rarely try to understand the workflow of the companies they are working for.
They choose top photos, from top photographers that the client can't afford...
They sell designs that don't work in the medium/long run. Sometimes not even in the first day!
Maybe they are just bad professionals...
But usually they kind of look sideways to anyone who understands the basics of how it works....
- BonSeff0
the generalizations of this thread is incredible.
I am personally happy there is a clear separation between design, front end and back end.
Just because the designer cant code doesn't mean they can't walk the client and front end dev team through the transitions they wish to accomplish.also, i swear to god the term 'best practices' is the enemy to a designer or anyone for that matter who gives a shit about innovation.
the important part is to loop in the dev team in your internal reviews and walk them through what you are trying to achieve, chances are they are gonna give you great suggestions to enhance the experience if you treat it as a collaborative effort.
- I agree. I think it's great to understand how things workGlitterati_Duane
- But sometimes when you know too much you stop yourself from pushing boundaries because you don't think it's possible
Glitterati_Duane - Working with people who have no concept of what's not possible can open things upGlitterati_Duane
- BonSeff0
what about the developers who cant code.. if there isn't 1000 lines of pre-fabricated jquery code that cant accomplish what you want, they say no can do..
sooooo, there's that, yet the designer is tasked with coming up with something visually completely unique and custom to the client's needs out of thin air.
- ohhhhhsnap0
In the mid 90 to early 2000's (in NY), I have to say ... I didn't need to know shit about HTML, neither did my design colleagues. I worked mostly for fashion/beauty fortune 500s
Can I admit here though, that concentrating solely on layout yet of course knowing the ins and outs of HTML on a basic/intermed. level made me a better designer back then. Today they want you to wear more hats to consolidate on $$$$$$ ... it's a wonder we're sick all of the time. jQueryAcPtionsHTMLcriptingHPjava... + DESIGN the shit out of this... ugh.
Original poster... your company must be loaded because people aren't doing that these days.
lucky you! i want to work where you work.
- monospaced0
no comment, you already know my position on this ;)