What should I know if I want to learn web design?

1. VISUAL DESIGN

Seems pretty obvious that you need the design to be a web designer. But what this includes when it comes to the digital realm might be different than what you expect. In this case, design principles are what sets the look and feel of a site.

2. UX

Here come those funny abbreviations! UX stands for user experience, or how people feel (calm, frustrated, etc.) when they use a website.

3. DESIGN SOFTWARE

Like any craftsperson, to do your work, you’ll have to the right tools. And knowing your way around the industry standards will be helpful in any case and critical in many.

4. HTML

You might not have imagined that a web designer would need to code. But, nowadays, it’s an expected skill for most design jobs. And, hey, it’s a pretty easy way to get your tech on and actually build websites from scratch! HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, which is the coding language used to put content on a web page and give it structure.

5. CSS

And then there’s HTML’s partner, CSS or Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is the code that tells browsers how to format and style HTML for a web page. In other words, it’s what makes all the text and other content look good.

SOFT SKILLS

Now that you have the design and tech part down, you only need to add some management to keep yourself organized and effective in your web design work.

6. TIME MANAGEMENT

Whether you go freelance or work for a company, you’ll need to stay on top of your schedule and your projects to be a standout web designer.

7. COMMUNICATION

Staying in touch and getting your point across are also must-have skills for a designer. You’ll be keeping clients up-to-date on the progress of their projects plus pitching ideas and explaining your creations.

8. SEO / MARKETING / SOCIAL MEDIA

The skill set of SEO (search engine optimization), marketing, and social media might seem like it’s meant more for a salesperson than a web designer.

9. BUSINESS / CLIENT MANAGEMENT

And, as an employee or as a freelancer, understanding the bottom line will help you make sure you or your company is profitable and sustainable.