Designer vs Developer

Almost everywhere you see someone talking or claiming to be a web designer or Web developer. What exactly does that mean?

Who are the real designers or developers? Can it be both?

This is going to be a hot topic, let's break down these terms, dig into their meanings and relate to each other.

The responsibility of the designer

First of all, let's look at the problem from the perspective of each profession.

Designers use graphic and graphic design software (such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) to create the appearance of a Web page. The design is then combined with the code to implement

Designers are not necessarily the characters that write code, but sometimes they can work independently on a team to implement a website

Most designers work by using intuition and imagination to output ideas, which are typically the right half brain creatures. People in this field will develop in many areas, but often tend to be biased towards graphic design and art. Designers collect design works to show potential employers their project works

The best designers have insights into the many concepts of color, font, spatial relationships, user and user experience.

Developer Responsibilities

The developer's responsibilities can be similar in some ways to the designer, and can be completely different

A web developer has to build the skeleton of the site, often from scratch, and they understand the various languages of web development. HTML, Javascript, jquery, and CSS are all their devices. Developers have long been less concerned with the visual performance of something, creating a clean, technically reliable web site

Web developers are usually left-brained creatures. Technical strength and logical thinking are important components of their ability. Web developers may have a range of qualifications, such as computer science or programming. Most employers will ask them to provide a portfolio during the recruitment process.

The best developers tend to focus on detail.

Different occupations, same goals.

In the end, web designers and Web developers are all for one goal-to create a Web site that attracts users

To achieve this goal, design and development must be effective and reliable. The site needs a beautiful interface and works well. Color and image to reflect the brand, the interface to motivate users to complete the action you need

The clear boundaries between designers and developers have become blurred, and more and more designers are starting to learn code, and more developers are starting to focus on design theory (which is why articles and tutorials designed and developed are so prevalent). It can be foreseen that this field will create a new title--Web design/development

Collaboration between the two

One of the hardest things about design and development is that they collaborate and find a way of communicating that everyone understands. There are too many terms on both sides.

Here are a few tips to break the divide:

Avoid using terminology

Show it, don't just say it, and let people know how or how something looks. If you don't know how to explain something, prepare a sketch or a sample to participate in the discussion

Brainstorming。 Designers should accept the design concept of the developer, and the developer should also listen to the designer's suggestions on the user experience.

Learn more about the other part of the site construction work. Delve into things you don't know, ask questions

Is it possible to become a designer and developer?

All of these distinctions seem to imply that designers and developers are two quite different positions and roles

But not necessarily.

You can also be a designer and developer. More and more people are starting to position themselves, and this has become a very popular skill mix. The roles of designers and developers are being merged in a considerable number of people, including designers who have never considered learning to develop, and vice versa

I am one of them. Tell me about my personal story:

I started out as a graphic print designer. I used to have no idea how the site works, why, and never think about creating a Web site

A few years ago everything changed, and I realized that websites can and should be as beautiful as print. If I study these two skills, I will become a more valuable employee, and I will be more satisfied with my work

So I started to learn the code. I can't say I know the code very well. But what I've mastered has made myself competitive enough.

I can communicate with developers and understand their language. This makes it easier for me to collaborate with developers on projects, and hopefully developers will like to work with designers who understand them.

Now think about it, if I had studied design and development at the same time, like many people who had just started their careers.

So the answer must be yes. You can be a designer and developer at the same time. Maybe you are only good at one of them, but you should always aim for all-round development.