7 Qualities of a Great Web Designer
Article by Cyd Cruz
Graphics Design by Ryan Rivera
Web designers are individuals who mold the appearance, set the layout, and to set the aesthetic of a website. In other words, web designers are the reason why we get to enjoy everything that the internet has to offer without going through pages and pages of eyesores.
Like most professions that require creativity, web designers come in varied shapes and sizes. Most of them differ in style, methods, and execution, with these aspects setting them apart from their peers. Granted, some may be more skilled than the other, but at the end of the day, each web designer has their strengths and weaknesses that they can bring to their client’s table.
What makes a web designer so great?
As mentioned above, a web designer is responsible for a myriad of tasks in regards to web development. Although their work sounds simple and unimpressive when summarized in writing, their responsibilities in keeping websites aesthetically-pleasing and easy to use are no joke. Especially since they have to take into account the various factors that can make or break a website.
When it comes to website appearances, web designers ensure that every paragraph, photo, graphics, links, and many other web contents are arranged in a way that allows their users to be comfortable when navigating around on their site. Because let’s face it, no one’s going to stay on a website that has horrendous graphics and has a cluttered layout.
That being said, proper visuals won’t get you very far if the website itself is unusable in the first place. Part of a web designer’s job is to make sure that the user’s experience with visiting a website is satisfactory, thus ensuring their return soon.
In summary, a web designer is required to produce good user experience for their page visitors as they optimize assets for ease of use.
7 Qualities of a Great Web Designer
Now that the importance of a web designer’s job has been brought to attention, it is also essential to mention that despite every designer’s differences, there are also qualities that one must possess or develop in order to get far in this profession.
1. Open-minded and accepting of criticism
Let’s face it, somewhere along the line, a web designer’s work will most likely end up being told off and/or criticized. As with everyone who’s ever asked for a client’s approval on a project before, it’s one of the most stressful steps of creating websites, especially if there’s a need for last-minute changes, time-pressured tasks, and nearly impossible workloads.
A great web designer has an open mind and can look at comments or criticisms directed their way as nothing more than learning points. By seeing these as things they can improve on, it helps them realize that there are ways and steps that could have been done differently, methods that could be sharpened, and lessons that can be applied to future works.
2. Honest
Honesty is considered as the best policy for a reason. Not only will this quality benefit a web designer, but it can also prove to be beneficial for their day-to-day interactions with people. When a mistake is made, no attempts to cover it up or reason their way out of it is made. Great web designers own up to their errors and take steps to improve it.
Additionally, the need for being honest with oneself is a necessity. Acknowledging shortcomings is one of the things that a great web designer can do without fail and treats those acknowledgments as the first step to improvement.
3. Communicative
Whether they work alone or not, communication is a very essential aspect of the profession of web design. Be it communicating with a team or a client, designing for websites requires communication due to the nature of the work. Without proper communication, they will fail to come to an agreement with the ones they work with, which will prove detrimental especially if important points are being discussed.
In this industry, any form of miscommunication can be costly, since a simple misunderstanding can lead to wasted time and effort on both the designer and the client’s part. Entire projects and proposals can be scrapped and labeled as a mistake due to a certain theme, aspect, and/or factor being overlooked, essentially forcing the designer to make major revisions or even start from the beginning.
4. Creative and a visionary
Certain clients will sometimes allow a web designer a degree of liberty when it comes to designing and creating content, layout, and graphics. While the freedom is a breath of fresh air compared to being stuck within a bubble of “what you can and cannot create”, this can also prove to be a challenge since the designer has to take into account the audience and preferences of the client when they’re envisioning what their website will look like, thus requiring them to be creative enough to adapt to the given factors.
Quirky and colorful website imageries might be good for online stores or for sites that cater to child care, but it certainly won’t fit for business and e-commerce-oriented ones. This is why it’s important for a great web designer to always determine who they’re designing for and if the website’s target audience will actually like the design they put out.
5. Flexible
Obviously, different clients have different wants and needs when it comes to the aesthetic of their website. Just because a layout worked for one client, doesn’t mean it’ll work for the others. Different industries, different approaches. A great web designer will have to vary their methods of tackling certain clients.
Additionally, the kinds of projects that fall down on a web designer’s table will vary, with some of them having an already-established design on their website. Therefore, it’s essential for a good web designer to be able to integrate the design they’ve thought of into an already existing one.
6. Problem solver
No matter what aspect of web design is being worked on, problems will always arise, and most of them will not have a clear method of solving. While this may be jarring for someone who’s new to the industry, a good web designer should learn to quickly identify problems and how to effectively solve them.
They should be able to know when to take a step back and analyze what went wrong with the situation, as well as all the possible steps one can take to mend it. If an issue arises wherein one can’t find a solution, one should learn how to ask for help from someone who’s well-versed in the profession because their experience will most likely help them with giving answers that aren’t normally thought of.
7. Passionate
The web development industry is a fast-paced one, so an enthusiastic and eager outlook on life is an absolute must. When an opportunity to improve and hone their skill arises, a good web designer will always be up to the challenge.
Being passionate about the profession will also be beneficial for a web designer since it will help them set deadlines and have the drive to meet them without fail. This, in turn, will be beneficial to both the client and the web designers themselves
Gotafflair: the home of great web designers
We have successfully brought groundbreaking and innovative designs to more than 3,000 clients, all of which are optimized to ensure that the UX is next to perfect and are aesthetically pleasing in order to guarantee the return of each and every user.
Here at Gotafflair, we strive to excel in every facet of web design and provide only the best services available thanks to our team of skilled web designers, all trained to be highly effective personnel.
Need help with starting up and improving your website? Our team of web designers has got your back! Give us a ring at 7798 8195 or link up with us via email at sales@gotafflair.com for a free consultation!
