There are two sides of web design; the science side, which deals with coding and general designing, and the art side which works to ensure that everything looks good in the end. All web designers should be good at these two elements of web design, especially if they would like to stand out from the crowd. Some of the skills needed in web design will be acquired through education and training, while others will be acquired through experience. The kinds of skills you have will ultimately determine if you will be struggling to keep a client or if clients will flock towards you. To get started, here are some fundamental skills that every designer should have:
1. The basics of design process
A web designer that is ready to take the market by storm needs to master every single basic design process, including the principles of the use of color, flow of the website, and spacing. Good use of color helps to enhance the end user’s experience, while the flow of the website will determine how easy or hard it is to navigate through the various pages on the website. Spacing determines the distance between two elements in a web page, and also affects the balance and proportion of the website, which will in turn affect the visual consistency and symmetry of your website.
2. HTML skills
Every web designer needs to know the basics of coding, especially using HTML. Some web designers do not see the importance of coding because they assume that only professional web designers need to have this knowledge. However, every web designer must master the basics of coding. HTML is the basic framework for most of the web pages, therefore some HTML skills will go a long way in helping you get started in style.
3. Writing and Editing skills
Every web designer should have the ability to use words effectively. In fact, being able to express yourself with words is more important than creating graphics in Photoshop. As a web designer, you should be able to come up with good quality content that communicates your message clearly and effectively, and that convinces your users to take action if the need arises. Use of the right words, especially strong keywords, is important as it will make your website easier to find, especially on search engines.
4. Complete Circumspection
A lot is involved in web design, therefore, a web designer should be able to look at an element or a problem from all angles if they hope to come up with the best solution. Remember that you are designing a website that will be seen by different people with different views, and your goal should be to please as many of them as possible. You will therefore need to develop the skills to view things from multiple angles, not just from your own perspective.
5. Time management
Time management is very important, especially when you are dealing with clients. The last thing you need is to disappoint your clients, therefore, you must be able to manage your time well to ensure that you complete the tasks you have been assigned on time. Learn how to prioritize tasks, and how to take breaks in between in order to reenergize yourself so that you can work better and with less stress. Dealing with clients comes with many challenges. Every client thinks that their idea is the best, and they want it built as soon as possible. Demanding clients are some of the biggest causes of stress among web designers. If you are not able to manage the stress, you will definitely not be able to work well with clients.
6. SEO skills
Web designers are now required to optimize their web pages for search engines, which is why SEO skills are important. SEO is sometimes the only way that you will be able to reach your target audience, which is why it is so important. Many people exclusively use search engines to find what they need, and if you have not done any SEO, you will not be able to attract the right customers.
7. Communication skills
Communication skills do not just cover how you speak to people, but also your ability to understand how other people feel, and how you can make them feel better. These are skills that will greatly assist you when you are working with a team or with clients. It becomes hard to work with someone that is not able to communicate effectively with people, especially if you are a team leader in a project.
8. Listening skills
Web design is often not something that you do for yourself; most of the time you are going to be doing it for other people. Therefore, you have to pay attention to the needs of others. Developing listening skills will help you understand what your clients or target audience needs, enabling you to serve them better. Listening skills go hand in hand with discernment skills, which give you the ability to make sound judgments. With some experience and your own common sense, you should gain enough experience to know what is good, and to offer exactly what your clients are in need of.
9. Learning skills
Web design is diverse and constantly developing. So many new developments are made every day, and if you would like to stay ahead of the game, you will need to be willing to learn new styles and techniques every time you get a chance to do so.
10. Business skills
As a web designer, you will be dealing with business people, as well as people who are looking for things to buy online, therefore, having basic business skills will help. You will need these skills to enable you to make better decisions about how you design your websites, especially if you would like to increase sales.
All these are very important skills that every web designer should have, especially if they would like to be considered the best in the business.
I think to some degree luck has to come into it. Most of the skills with web design can be learnt, but to take it into the commercial world to some degree requires you to be in the right place at the right time. Most employers or client will want to see examples of work you have already done and its hard to compete without this track record. And of course you cant get the track record without winning clients or working for agencies.