Aartek Systems

I’m occasionally approached by someone who is interested in a career in web site design and wants to know where to begin. My approach to answering the question usually involves first defining different areas of specialty in web site development. These areas of specialization, and explanations, are as follows:

• Web development - many beginners use the terms “web design” and “web development” interchangeably. In fact, building a web site from scratch is a lot like building a house from scratch. Many subcontractors are needed to build the house, from plumbers to electricians to carpenters. Likewise, the construction of a web site, particularly a complex site, often requires many different specialists in a variety of programming or coding fields. The term “web development” is an all-encompassing term similar to “real estate development.” It includes every aspect of the web site construction process, from design through completion.
• Web design - this phrase refers specifically to the design aspect of building a web site. Again, using the home construction analogy, a “web designer” is technically like the architect of a building. He or she decides what the site will look like and how the various pieces, such as navigation bars, will function together. The designer may or may not be involved in actually writing the code that puts flesh on the design skeleton.
• Search engine optimization (SEO) - this is a part of the development process that few web designers are truly familiar with. It involves writing the code and content of the site in such a way as to make it more “authoritative” on a particular topic in the eyes of the various search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN.
• Search engine marketing - getting a site to rank well in the search engines is not accomplished solely by optimization. Other factors, such as link popularity, come into play. The phrase “search engine marketing” encompasses all of these and includes search engine optimization.
• HTML - the fundamental language of web pages. All novices MUST learn HTML if they are to ever be truly proficient at ANY of the web development specialties.
• Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) - like HTML, this is a fundamental language of web pages. The difference is that HTML is focused primarily on organizing your content, while the primary purpose of CSS is to make your content visually appealing.

Any prospective student of web design or development should begin by learning the disciplines listed above, then proceed to more advanced specialties as needed.

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