Things I’ve learnt while being a web designer.

December 20, 2024

Getting pushed into the deep end in the fast and non stop moving world of design was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. In one year i have learnt more things than I would have at school. Here’s what i’ve learnt so far about website design and development.

1. Online visibility.

A website is the most important tool for any business. Having a website is the biggest part of your brands presence for online marketing. Working endlessly on your SEO and making sure content is optimized for best ranking results is a job in itself.

2. Idiot proofing. 

One can only idiot proof a website to a certain extent. Everything, and i really mean everything, needs to be as clear as day light. 

Anything can be confusing and once a visitor is confused… well they tend to leave and never come back. 

Every Title, Call to action and Text description on every page needs to be crystal clear to avoid any confusion. 

Making sure the content fits the target market is part of the proofing, as long as your website resonates with your audience, it will work.

3. Testing site. 

Having a staging site for development updates is extremely crucial. Including quality control to double check the developers work before sharing the test link with the client for feedback has proven to be effective as anything can slip though the cracks… Trust me, it does (More than you think it might!).

4. Consistency. 

Consistency is definitely something i am still working on. 

There are different levels of consistency. For us, it’s everything. Down to having the same exact spacing, leading and kerning, and even exact same banner sizes. 

I had to learn that even though the navigation border in my design may seem 2 clicks too far to the left, compared to the other pages navigation… you have to fix it. 

The smallest things count, as clients pay for excellence and we have the skills and tools to know better. Everything has to be the PIXEL PERFECT!. 

5. Care. 

Caring about our work and our clients is a must! if you don’t care, it gives every designer and developer a bad name. 

We have worked with clients who have had really bad experiences with other web design agencies and it was difficult for them to trust, after being burnt more than once by peers in our industry.

All the hard work pays off when you have a 100% happy client.

6. Follow up. 

Following up with clients for feedback can be a nightmare. Feedback is essential, without it we can’t continue with the design, hence the clock runs out till the very last minute and the only thing left is stress. 

Clients get busy, have emergencies and can’t always email back the next day. So keep following up so that you can try speed up the process and complete your tasks successfully.

It’s better to try and get feedback than get 10 emails from the client rushing you on a Friday at 4pm to get the updates completed as soon as possible.

7. Learn to deal with criticism. 

I know, I know. It’s hard and sometimes undeserving. But it is never an attack on you as a designer, just the design itself. Constructive criticism is okay, since we only grow from experience.

It’s important to know that some clients just don’t understand the web process or what SEO is, or the fact that half of the time its not optimised to do what they want because of certain Google SEO criteria. 

Always be open to holding your clients’ hand and educating them along the journey.

8. Just do it. 

Some clients want what they want and sometimes there is nothing you can do about it. 

Picking your battles is your best option. If it can be done, then just do it. Even if they supply too much content for a small description, just add it to the design because designing for your client is just as important. 

Most of the time the client will see the ugly bundle of web you have supplied and completely change their minds and allow you to go ahead with your idea instead… but sometimes they love it, and thats okay.

It’s okay to reach a point where you have to concede in order to complete the project (You are not forced to include it in your portfolio).

9. Always ask. 

If you are like me and you sometimes get confused when a little too much is going at the same time. Don’t be afraid to ask. 

Always think of it like this, would you rather ask, or make a mistake?. 

Be 100% sure of what exactly you have to do even if you have to ask twice. 

My director would rather have me ask 100 questions than do the task wrong and start over.

10. Be positive. 

Design can definitely be draining and stressful. Having a positive attitude translates into your work as a designer. 

How you are feeling on any given day can translate through into your creativity, always try to feel good about your work.

When you are having fun (Earphones on, music blaring), it shows in your work.