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in reply to Web Developers vs. Web Designers

I see responses mention content suppliers as well as programmers and designers, but I think you're still missing an important element, the 'user interface architects' (for wont of a better word).

Essentially, someone who can take all the elements of a site and ensure they fit into a useable framework. No more mystery meat navigation. Please! In fact, if you are working on web design/programming, I think the whole of Vincent Flander's site is a must read. (and no, I don't do my company's web page :)

Another, is having a web site that doesn't supply what the user expects to find there. My pet hate on this front is my bank in the UK for one, very small, reason. Last year, I was on vacation and I lost my bank card. I wanted the bank's 24hr emergency phone number to cancel my card. Was it on their web site? Errr... (and I still can't e-mail my bank manager ffs!). In fairness, I'd guess that most traditional banks don't know their asses from their elbows when it comes to web presence, but why not? Two or three years ago they could be excused for this (just). But now? Tch.

When I did web design, I had an absolutely fantastic designer, but he'd start having fits whenever I lectured on web safe pallettes. At the other end, I've worked with a certain financial institution that had a really powerful - but awkwardly designed - cc transaction system.

Gosh, I'm rambling. Sorry. To sum up though, I think balance is needed in these four corners:

Doesn't have to be 4 people, just as long as the 4 skill sets are covered and they communicate with each other to ensure they build something cohesive.

<sigh> .02

cLive ;-)

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Re: Re: Web Developers vs. Web Designers
by delegatrix (Scribe) on Apr 18, 2001 at 21:17 UTC
    Yes, the notion of usability engineer or architect has been lost in the term 'web designer'. The back end web developer might think some functionality is too cool, but if it's part of a useless poorly designed interface, what's the point. We're building the web site for our users not for ourselves, and the user interface designers bring that focus back to a project. The advantage is to have a well rounded web team - UID, tech, content folks focusing on the project, not turf. I'm a techie who has become less interested in the implementation details and find the UID/design side of things more interesting right now. Now I'm certainly no artist, so I always add graphic design people to the team, too.