Who is a web designer?
A web designer is someone skilled in both coding and creativity. This role requires a balance of technical ability and artistic vision. A web designer must be capable of building a functional, professional website while ensuring it’s user-friendly in terms of UX (user experience). By applying aesthetic techniques, a web designer creates a visually appealing and engaging online environment that is easy for all users to navigate.
The Future of Programming Careers
Our goal in discussing this topic is to evaluate the job market for web design and programming, and to predict the future of this profession in Iran.
Web design is a relatively new industry that emerged with the rise and development of the internet. Over the past decade, it has gained significant popularity as digital media and online platforms have become an essential part of people’s daily lives. Today, most individuals rely on websites for communication, information, shopping, social activity, and more. As a result, the demand for web designers is continuously growing, making this a promising career path for the future.
What Does a Web Designer Do?
A web designer is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing web-based systems. At the beginning of a project, the designer must understand the client’s preferences and study the target audience’s behavior. This often involves researching competitor websites for inspiration. A strong understanding of aesthetics is crucial — elements such as font style, color schemes, layout, and image selection contribute to the overall identity of the site.
In addition to visual appeal, a web designer must also ensure the site is technically optimized for usability. For example, if the target audience is children, the design should feature bold fonts, bright colors, more visuals, and less text to make it fun and engaging.
A good designer ensures that all pages are easily accessible and avoids overly complex navigation. Even if a website serves a diverse audience, the design principles must ensure usability for all types of users. The designer is responsible for both functionality and visual harmony, blending creativity with technical skills to build an effective and attractive website.
Where Does a Web Designer Work?
A web designer’s workplace depends on the company they collaborate with. Web design companies often focus on creativity and innovation, so the work environment is typically more dynamic and creative compared to many other jobs. These companies thrive by sharing and developing fresh ideas through their professional designers.
Web design offices are often modern and flexible, encouraging collaboration and out-of-the-box thinking. Younger designers, who are often more in tune with new trends and technologies, are more likely to be hired in such companies.
How Much Does a Web Designer Earn?
The income of a web designer can vary widely depending on several factors. For instance, a designer might work full-time as an employee at a web design company, work as a freelancer, or take on projects on a per-hour or per-project basis.
Beyond the type of contract, a professional and experienced designer will naturally earn more than a beginner. Specialized skills such as UI/UX design, or proficiency in programming languages like PHP, C#, or ASP.NET also affect the earning potential.
In general, there are industry benchmarks that help estimate a web designer’s income in each situation. Based on studies and comparisons, web designers in Iran have varying income levels, and it’s useful to compare them with global standards for a better perspective.
Freelance Web Designer
A freelance web designer is someone who works remotely and independently, often from home, without being tied to a company. In this flexible work model, known as freelancing, the designer signs direct or informal contracts with clients. The working hours are adaptable, and the designer has more control over their schedule and work environment.
Several well-known freelance platforms, such as Ponisha and ParsCoderz in Iran, connect clients with freelancers, acting as reliable intermediaries for managing projects and payments.
While some large companies prefer hiring in-house designers due to high workload, many web designers choose to work as freelancers—handling projects from home or co-working spaces. They may occasionally meet clients in person for important discussions, but overall, the freelance model offers flexibility, freedom, and independence.
What are the differences between UX design and website design?
When it comes to web designers and website design, most people only think about the visual aspects of the work. However, UX design (User Experience design) is an essential part of the website design process that should not be overlooked. UX design focuses on how users interact with a website—ensuring the experience is smooth, intuitive, and satisfying. While web design deals with layout, colors, and overall appearance, UX design is about structure, usability, and how effectively the site meets users’ needs. Despite being a critical component, UX is often undervalued or ignored in many projects.
Job Description of a Web Designer
Some skills that a web designer must have:
- The goal of a web designer is to understand what the user thinks about their product.
- The designer focuses on the user’s habits, needs, emotions, and desires.
- This design process includes user research, web design, usability testing, and content strategy.
- The web designer creates wireframes and visual designs using tools like Photoshop and provides solutions to deliver the best user experience.
- They manage visual design, prototypes, usability testing, and data analysis.
- After launching the website, they handle maintenance, troubleshooting, support, and provide services to improve the site.
- A web designer has broad knowledge in graphic design and web design principles.
- Visual creativity and innovative predictions play a key role in the designer’s work.
- The designer uses the latest HTML, CSS, and JavaScript techniques.
- They are aware of any changes in the website’s visual aspect and focus on designing attractive and new visual elements and expanding them.
- A web designer must have an excellent understanding of graphic design, interface design, menu buttons, page architecture, etc.
- They must be aware of the latest techniques and innovations compatible with major browsers and standards, applying them in their work.
- A professional web designer strives to produce content based on aesthetic principles that are simple and easy to understand for users.