What does it take?(was Re: professionalism)

At 01:03 PM 10/10/98 +1000, Christopher Higgs wrote:


>This comment certainly applies to the "newbie" professional web designer.
>I seems to me that most of you are really arguing the same point (in other
>words agreeing with each other) but from different perspectives.
>
>Lets define what it takes to be a professional web designer!

Excellent subject! I was going to bring this up as we have had a debate on
another list just this week about how some people think that there are
those who call themselves web design(or pick your term of choice) but they
don't know enough to actually do the job. 

I am a hobbyist now, but I would like to eventually ask for pay for site
design one day. However, I know that as of this point, while I know a good
deal about the nuts and bolts, I could not walk in to some prospective
client's office and do the job that I would like to do. I wondered what
skills are needed in general? Obviously HTML knowledge. But what level of
HTML knowledge? 

>No, let me restate that - that is too controversial.  Let us instead try to
>define what qualities a "web designer" should have.
>
>No, still I think I am still being too limiting!!
>
>I believe we have reached the stage where "web designer" is not a
>sufficient classification to cover all the roles required within our
>industry.  I would argue that web development has progressed to a stage
>that we really need a number of roles within that field.
>
>Perhaps we need:
>* Site designer
>* Page designer
>* Graphics designer
>* Programmer and database integrator
>
>I realise that some of these duties can be performed by more than one
>person, but we are reaching the stage where web design can't be totally
>achieved by one person.  The knowledge base is getting too broad and
>changeing too quickly.

I agree! For instance, I have not done any programming since I did some
BASIC on a TI99/4 back in the early 80's in college. Computer Science was
not my major or the subject I have my degree in. I remember little to none
of it. I do remember that I had trouble debugging. So, I know that I am not
that interested and probably know talented enough to program. So, would
that make me not good enough to make a living from site/web design?

I also know that while I can make simple graphics that look just fine, I
would never do it for a potential customer. I would hire out for that.


Virginia's Visions
http://visions.simplenet.com

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