« Design is always about synthesis -synthesis of market needs, technology trends, and business needs. » — Jim Wicks (Motorola)

Description

The Web Designer is a multidisciplinary member of the team project, responsible for the interface design, production, and maintenance of online content from initial request through development, production and deployment. He conceptualizes and creates graphic and user interface solutions for internet, intranet, extranet, portals, applications and marketing materials (interactive advertising campaigns, newsletters and email marketing campaigns).

Le web designer est un membre multidisciplinaire de l’équipe, responsable du design, de la production, et de la maintenance de contenus interactifs, de l’initiation du projet à sa mise en ligne. Il conçoit et crée des solutions d’interface pour des sites web, intranet, extranet, des portails, des applications et des dispositifs marketing (campagnes de publicité interactives, newsletters, campagnes d’e-mailing).
Le web designer occupe une position charnière entre la création et le développement. Par-là même, la tension permanente entre création et production est centrale dans le métier de web designer. Il doit faire appel à une large culture du design visuel, de la typographie à la mise en page, coordonnée à une culture “interactive”. Généraliste du design, ses activités sont souvent en recoupement avec celles du webmaster, voire celles du développeur front-office et du designer flash dont il peut avoir les expertises. Comme lui, il peut avoir une spécialisation plus technique, éditoriale, ou animation. Dans le contexte anglo-saxon, le web designer a une connotation plus technique, même si, en France, il est considéré davantage comme un designer que comme un technicien. La conception (livrables : story-boards) est un aspect de plus en plus souvent cité dans les attributions du web designer car il se positionne dans la formalisation de l’interaction. En fonction du contexte dans lequel il exerce son activité (freelance, agence, entreprise utilisatrice), ses spécialités varient et peuvent, par exemple, offrir une place plus centrale à la gestion de projet (notamment en entreprise). Souvent, le type d’outils maîtrisés par le web designer oriente ses activités. Mais en aucun cas être web designer ne se réduit à la maîtrise technique d’une suite logicielle.

Synonyms / Related activities, roles

interactive (graphic) designer ; multimedia designer ; (user) interface designer ; front end (web) developer ; (user) interface developer ;

Activities

Design level

A webdesigner:

Translates business requirements and technical considerations and concepts into engaging design solutions that account for the user experience and creates initial user design explorations
Defines, refines and implements user interface designs that address business, brand, market, and user requirements
Develops storyboards, mockups and prototypes to communicate navigation and design concepts
Analyzes and evaluates current front-end design challenges and implement effective design solutions
Designs visuals and page layouts to work with existing design systems and standards
Maintains design consistency and brand identity across all projects via use of style guides, style sheets and enforcement of established standards and best practices
Creates Flash-based prototypes
Performs maintenance of graphics and content for web sites
Researches information and best practices to enhance value of designs
Produces online marketing collateral including on-site and off-site banner ads, landing pages, etc.
Drives the creation of a comprehensive style guide for development

Technical level

Converts mockups from any graphic formats to standards compliant HTML/CSS
Ensures compatibility and functionality across multiple platforms
Analyzes and evaluates current front-end design/usability challenges and implement effective design solutions
Maintains knowledge of current trends and technology relevant to web design
Builds websites using technologies that conform to international standards and make sure that they are universally accessible

Client level

Works with clients to understand their business models and goals, creating design solutions which will further those goals
Participates in design review sessions
Takes feedback from the client and responds with revisions

Team level

Participates internal brainstorms with the team to develop new creative ideas
Takes direction from the Interactive Art Director in the execution of interactive projects
Works closely with the members of the User Experience team to enhance the user’s understanding of site content and overall experience
Based on usability findings, iterates with usability and engineering teams
Translates usability and field research findings into design improvements
Works closely with technical team members to evaluate feasibility and maintainability of designs
Documents user interface designs for communication to developers
Works with editorial to implement content initiatives

Education

10 Books to read

Le Webdesign. Sociale expérience des interfaces web, Nicole Pignier et Benoît Drouillat, Hermès-Lavoisier, 2008
Réussir son site web avec XHTML et CSS, Mathieu Nebra, Eyrolles, 2008
CSS 2 pratique du design web, Raphaël Goetter, Eyrolles, 2007
Ergonomie web, Amélie Boucher, Eyrolles, 2007
Designing Web Navigation, James Kalbach, O’Reilly, 2007
Designing Interfaces, Jenifer Tidwell, O’Reilly, 2005
Visual Design for the Modern Web, Penny McIntire, New Riders, 2008
Designing for the Social Web, Joshua Porter, New Riders, 2008
Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students, Ellen Lupton, Princeton Architectural Press, 2004
The Essential Guide to User Interface Design: An Introduction to GUI Design Principles and Techniques, Wilbert O. Galitz, Wiley, 2007
Guidelines for Online Success, Julius Wiedemann and Rob Ford, Taschen, 2008
Grid Systems in Graphic Design, Josef Muller-Brockmann, Arthur Niggli, 1996
Visual Literacy: A Conceptual Approach to Graphic Problem Solving, Judith Wilde and Richard Wilde, Watson-Guptil, 2000
The Elements of Color, Johannes Itten, Wiley, 1970

Personalities

Raphaël Goetter
Molly Holzschlag
Joshua Porter
Jeffrey Zeldman
Eric Meyer
Dave Shea
Luke Wroblewski
Veerle Pieters
Jeff Croft
Andy Clarke
Jason Santa Maria

Organizations and communities

Magazines and Blogs / Magazines et blogs

[12] Webdesigner