Web designers create websites.  Web developers create websites.  So they are both the same right?  Wrong...

Designers and developers are totally different species.  One deals with code, technical details and numbers.  A designer is much more interested in creating a masterpiece - using emotions, ideas and client knowledge. They are after all artists!

There is no need for a web designer.

Web design recently has moved slightly away from pure design for a strict set of displays, to more mathematical solutions using pixels, columns, rows, etc, to account for an ever increasing number of displays.  A designer therefore has to not only have the skills required to produce the designs, but also be able to (in some cases) produce HTML/CSS or (in other cases) communicate how the design comes to life with the developer. A designer will be in a much better position if they can produce a set of working files for the developer.

To save money, some clients won't want to pay a designer.  So there are many, many websites where a theme can be purchased for as little as £10. It won't be a unique design, and it most likely won't reflect the way you want your business to come across, but in the absense of a web design professional, it's a case of 'needs must'

There is no need for a web developer.

Just as there are alternatives to design, there are also alternatives to development.  A lot of designers can install and set up 3rd party content management systems such as Wordpress. This clearly has limitations when it comes to wanting more from your site, and there are security issues with open source solutions which need addressing on a regular basis.  Even worse, if you are using low cost hosting, you will be sharing the server with many hundreds of other websites that may also be insecure and therefore affect your business.

Some designers will tell their clients they can develop, whereas in reality all they are doing is installing software with no knowledge of how to expand the site, add features, fix bugs, etc.  This can be costly in the long run.

So I need a designer and a developer?

A major problem that faces both designers and developers is client budgets.  Whilst there are solutions available to both, it isn't always ideal.  If a client has hired a developer and want's design changes, it can be tricky.  Developers aren't usually focused on colour schemes or box placements as long as they fit into the code.  If the client wants more features, a designer may not be able to comply.

The world that web designers and developers work in is constantly changing, and often the lines are blurred, which leads to two worlds colliding.

What do Creative Spectrum do?

We work closely with both design and development agencies and freelancers.  We choose the right people for the project.  Whilst we have both a web designer and a web developer in-house, we also utilise the best talent across the UK on a per-project basis.

Contact us to find out more.