Web Designer and Web Developer seem to be terms that get flung around without a solid understanding of what each term actually entails. I totally get it! A web design vs. web developer sound and look similar, but they are actually two very different roles and involve very different tasks. 

That’s why I want to fix this confusion. Because yes, both roles are complementary to each other. And both roles may even overlap in the building of a website. But they each require different focuses and expertise in their specialized skill set. 

The specialization of a web designer and web developer often puts them at totally opposite ends of the website creation scale. But does this mean that one can (or can’t) do the other’s job interchangeably? 

To answer this question and to better understand what a web designer vs. web developer is, I want to define each role, what these terms mean, and how each role relates to the other in the process of building a functional, well-designed and user-friendly website. Because in the end, that’s the end product that everybody wants, right?

So let’s get started.

What is a Web Designer?

You can think of a web designer as being in charge or responsible for the visual designs and aesthetics for your website. What you SEE on a website is more directly related to the efforts of a web designer. 

Web designers can transform a client’s idea or story and turn it into an appealing website design using imagination and creativity. They also use their design skill, branding elements, and design tools to create beautifully designed websites that fit each individual client. 

Web designers usually start with a scope or the focal point and purpose behind the website. What does the website offer to users? What does the client want their audience to experience or feel when they land on their page? This is where the client’s idea or story comes into play. 

Once they have these concepts down, a web designer will then create a wireframe, or modeled layout of the design and have it approved by the customer. Only then can they move into the final stages of the design process.

This is exactly what we do here at One 11 Creative Studios.

You might be more familiar with the next elements of a web designer’s expertise: graphics, logo designs, color schemes, branding, spatial relationships, typography, icons. These are all really important in the web design process, but they aren’t the only elements.

User-friendliness, and performance style, are some of the other important elements that web designers focus on. Web designers make sure the website is easy to interact with and encourages visitors to spend more time on the site.

Designers need to have extensive knowledge and creative expertise so they can determine how a user will view and experience the website through design and navigation. This means keeping up to date with the latest design trends. Designers are also proficient in design programs like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. 

Specialized Web Designers

Web designers can even narrow their focus on UX (user experience) or UI (user interface) design if they want to. You usually find these roles in bigger companies like Accenture or Dropbox.

UX designers‘ job is to make sure that a client’s website keeps visitors positively engaged and gives them an optimal experience. 

UI designers’ job is to make sure that website users interact well with all the elements on the website based on their expected navigation and flow through the site.

At the end of the day, when users click onto a website, they should be welcomed, have their attention caught, and have a great user experience. This all stems from a great design.

To implement this, they need functional programming and clean coding to bring this website design to life. Which brings us to web development.

What is a Web Developer?

You can think of a web developer as being the one in charge or responsible for the coding or the invisible ‘ design’ and functionality of the website. In technical terms, they create the front-end interface of a web page using programming and coding. In not-so-technical-terms, a web developer is the person that builds the backbones of the website. 

Web developers are known to focus less on the visuals of a website and more on clean code and technical ease of use. Basically, what this means is that developers turn the design into a live website using languages like HTML, CSS and JavaScript in addition to software tools to develop (or generate) the design and functionality of a website.

Specialized Web Developers

There are front-end and back-end developers, but for the purpose of this post, let’s just focus on front-end developers. The front-end developer focuses on the elements that users can see when they land on a website. This is considered the client-facing side of development since they are programming all user-focused visuals and elements of a website’s design. Front-end web developers build the interface through which users interact within the website.

If you want a really simple analogy to sum all of this up, the web designer draws a picture, and the web developer hangs it on the wall. That concept is extremely basic, but I think it gets my point across. 

Do designers and developers have anything in common?

Yes! Web designers and web developers have plenty in common. They both hold an essential role in creating a well-functioning website. Their mutual goal is to create a website that attracts users through visual appeal and optimal functionality. And they both provide unique insights and knowledge that are essential in creating a well-designed website.

But does this mean that one can or cannot do the other’s job in addition to the own? The answer is, it depends. Because a designer and a developer usually have very different mindsets (think left-brain and right-brain), it’s usually pretty hard to find a great web designer that is also a great web developer.

As we move forward in the digital age, designers and developers are working together more than ever. Both roles are paying attention to theories and elements of the other in order to give users the best experience possible. 

Ultimately, a web designer and a web developer oversee the web page function and are vital for the building of a beautiful website for their clients. But it is important to remember that they both hold very different, but equally important roles.

If you are interested in custom web design, we would love to hear from you! Use our contact page to get in touch or sign up for a Discovery Call today.