I found a post a while ago entitled “Teach Yourself Programming In Ten Year” by Peter Norvig. Whilst many might consider a number of his points to be obvious and common sense, you have to think back to when you start. One of the series of books he looks at are the “teach yourself books”. I recall a rather painful time upon deciding to learn javascript and resorting to a 24 hours teaching book on this. It ended up with a rather large migraine and wandering if I could get a time machine and whether there was anything more to javascript than the ticker, rollover and sliding game I had only as examples. Yes, this did manage to put me off javascript for a little while – thanks to ajax and dom for bringing me into line on that one.
Peter Novig writes his own recipe for programming success. Whilst, I have a problem with poking my head up and professing to be the be all and know all about web design (I don’t feel anyone can), I do think that I can highlight a few things, maybe people will call some obvious but some people hopefully will gain from this. This can of course be called obvious information, it is very firmly aimed at the beginner and those interested in getting involved in web design, I make no apologies for this. I have been thinking a little about what I would say the recipe for web designer success is and have come up with the following :
- Start designing for fun rather than profit. By doing this you build up your skills and also avoid the pressure of deadlines. I would suggest possibly two options here. The first is by starting your own small website (possibly a blog or something you are interested in). The second is useful if you can either bribe a web designer friend or beg a favour and get a mini site made – start by using this site to learn about web design.
- Once you are on the road to web design and ready to get involved in some projects you can not go wrong by getting involved with other more experienced designers and learning from them by working. This can be done remotely or face to face, that is the joy of the web.
- If you are looking for some practice then posting on a charity donation site is a great way to build up your portfolio. You get to create some websites whilst you give something back.
- Join communtities and start to network online. Other web designers are going to prove worth their weight in gold through out your career. There is always someone who knows more than you. From communities, you will be able to discover other sites and also gain critique for your own work. Remember that critque is a useful thing not a personal attack. You have to also develop your own personal critque as you grow.
- Showcase sites are a great inspiration resource so use them in abudance. No matter if you are a beginner or a fully fledged web designer, you will find saturating yourself with inspiration is going to make up part of your weekly process.
- Don’t become a dumb user with regards to your computer. Be it a mac or a pc, it is your primary link to the net and as such it is your key tool. Whatever package you use to do web design, your computer is the link between you and the net. Understand it and you will become a better designer.
- Spend a little time every day looking at blogs. There is a vast array of blogs out there catering to web design which are invaluable resources for you. Start posting on these blogs and join in the conversation as you learn.
- Whilst you can find a lot of inspiration online you should never forget that the offline world can provide inspiration. I am after all the person that got inspired from a pan a chocolat. Carry a camera with you and a small notebook incase of inspiration striking.
- Starting building a libary online of bookmarks and offline of books and magazine cut outs. I have a folder that I put anything that happens to inspire me into and use as a jog in times of dry creativity.
- Remember as you develop to put back into the community and those that have invested in you. I have found that while you are helping someone you often learn something about yourself or about web design. Karma plays a big part in learning anything.
- If you are going to learn a language then start with CSS now and html. Never try to do everything at once and take time to become capable before tackling everything.
- Take time to learn about new practices and new developments in web design. You can do this through blogs, communities and news sites.
- Learn about web standards and don’t get into bad practices before you have even begun. Learning the wrong way and then having to learn the right way is always harder.
- You have to have patience above most things, coupled with a dash of pig headed determination.
