| So, let's explore why web designers are like | | | | needs to be marketed and it can only be |
| ogres. | | | | marketed if the underlying SEO principles |
| | | | have been kept in mind right from the start - |
| Firstly, let's see why we say that websites | | | | in other words, links are easily followed by |
| are like onions, with layers, in the first | | | | humans as well as search engines, all pages |
| place - since this is the whole raison d'etre | | | | have meaningful titles, keywords are gently |
| of my argument. | | | | worked into the content of the pages. Apart |
| | | | from that, someone needs to take the |
| Websites have an outer layer. | | | | marketing budget allocated to the website |
| | | | (all websites have a marketing budget, |
| This is the graphical look and feel of the | | | | right?) and use that marketing budget to get |
| site. In order to create this your common, or | | | | the best ROI for the site - decide on the |
| garden, website ogre needs to have an | | | | best Internet Marketing strategies for |
| artist's eye and a designer's skill with | | | | building links and traffic and then go forth |
| tools such as Photoshop or Fireworks. The | | | | and execute (the strategy, that is). |
| graphical web designer needs to have insight | | | | |
| into the latest web design styles, such as | | | | Now, my question is: Is it fair to expect one |
| can be found here. He needs to be able to | | | | person to have all these skills? |
| wield shades and shadows and meld them into | | | | |
| Web 2.0 flavored onion soup. Preferably soup | | | | Years ago when I studied 'Computer Science' |
| not made with eyeballs. | | | | there was basically one job title to aspire |
| | | | for and that was 'Systems Analyst'. If you |
| The second layer of a website is the | | | | worked for a really big corporate they might |
| structure | | | | have distinguished between System Analyst and |
| | | | Programmer. (And there was also a career |
| The structure could be determined through | | | | called 'Punch Operator', which strangely |
| some method such as functional decomposition, | | | | enough, has disappeared since today we all |
| where the web designer might start with the | | | | are supposed to do our own punching...) And |
| main function (home page) and break the site | | | | yes, I suppose the 'System Analyst' of that |
| into manageable sub sections so that he ends | | | | time was supposed to do everything - analyze, |
| up with a clear idea of the scope of the site | | | | build, test, deliver and support the system. |
| as well as the internal structure. So here | | | | |
| your web designer needs to have some | | | | But... tempers fuggit.... 'That was then, |
| knowledge of basic Software Engineering | | | | this is now.' |
| principles. But even more than that, once the | | | | |
| main functions of the site have been | | | | Today, there are myriad career paths |
| designed, the functions need to be married to | | | | available for the aspiring math's whiz-kid |
| the graphical design in such a way that the | | | | who sits down for an aptitude test. Anything |
| system is usable. A knowledge of the | | | | from Business Analyst to Test Manager to |
| principles of good web design and usability | | | | Network Administrator to IT Technician.... |
| (ala Nielson - and a familiarity with the | | | | |
| site to learn how to avoid making mistakes | | | | And BTW, if you are a COBOL programmer, you |
| such as 'mystery meat navigation', is | | | | are a COBOL programmer. You know COBOL; that |
| essential. | | | | is what you do. Nobody would expect you to |
| | | | sort out the DNS entries for the company |
| The third layer of a website is the dynamic | | | | server. |
| and interactive elements | | | | |
| | | | But the same specialization doesn't seem to |
| Frontpage and Photoshop can only bring you so | | | | have filtered through to the web development |
| far. Your website ogre might find that he | | | | arena. I saw a job description just today for |
| simply has to go and kill a couple of nerdy | | | | a 'web developer' who is supposed to have the |
| programmers to steal their reference manuals: | | | | following skills: Photoshop, Fireworks, |
| PHP and MySQL for Dynamic websites, AJAX and | | | | Flash, Swish, .net, C#, MSAccess, SQL design |
| PHP - Building responsive Web Applications. | | | | experience, ASP, VB, .net, HTML, DHTML, ASP, |
| And he'd better know that Ruby on Rails is | | | | XML, CSS, Java script and VB script. And this |
| not a gem on a train track. | | | | poor sod is supposed to also maintain |
| | | | networks and troubleshoot Windows servers. |
| Then we get to the content. | | | | And wait for it - this paragon of a website |
| | | | ogre will be paid what practically |
| The website needs to be filled with good, | | | | constitutes a minimum wage in the IT world. |
| quality content. Sometimes you are lucky and | | | | And this is in the corporate world, where |
| your client gives you good content. Other | | | | they should really know better and where they |
| times, you'd better start rewriting the | | | | can actually afford to appoint specialists. |
| techno-speak and corporate waffle and ask | | | | |
| your client gently if he can state five | | | | If you are a freelancer working for yourself, |
| benefits of their services. So, a good | | | | you'd better be sure that you are well versed |
| knowledge of copywriting and a command over | | | | in all the skills that go into building the |
| the English language will not come in amiss. | | | | layers of a website...or you'd better start |
| | | | working on a plan to build strategic |
| So, we have the layers that make a website. | | | | partnerships with other specialist |
| The core, though, is the marketing strategy. | | | | freelancers. This will allow yourself some |
| | | | freedom to specialize, as well as offer the |
| We all know that it is NOT just a case of | | | | opportunity to others to do the same. |
| 'build it and they will come'. The website | | | | |