What Sets Web Development and Web Design Apart

Web designing and web development are two integral parts of the new media. However it is critical that you know what distinguishes one from the other. Web design pertains to the overall appearance of a website as seen by the visitor or a user. Web development, on the other hand, is about the various functionalities of a certain website.

There are several things to consider in terms of website development. Some of these considerations are the look and feel of the website, the manner of presentation, the content composition, the functionalities incorporate in the website, and perhaps most important of all the usability. Let’s look at how these things differ from each other.

Web site look and feel pertains to the design template, the kind of graphics and flash used, the color scheme of the website, as well as the navigation structure and general combination of content design and navigation.

The style of presentation is defined by the way the website interacts with its visitors. Some of the questions one should ask in determining the effectiveness of the presentation are: Does the website give its visitors the information that they are looking? Are the visitors contented with the website navigation and content?

Content composition pertains to the relevant information found in the website. It can mean the products and services offered, or basic information on the company that owns the website, as well as contact details.

Functionality of the site is regarding the interactive features found in the websites.

Usability on the other hand refers to how user friendly the site is. In measuring usability of websites, often considered are its easy navigation and seamless interaction.

While web design and development differ significantly from each other, they need to be integrated well to come out with an eye catching and useful website. Both teams handling web design and development need to work hand in hand to make sure that the website serves well its purpose.

Web designers are then expected to be proficient in their use of various web design programs. They have to take in consideration the use of animation and flash, incorporating of friendly navigation, and maintenance of the overall usability of the website.

Web development programmers on the other hand have to incorporate functionality in the website by making sure that the HTML pages are integrated with other programs. In short web developers are expected to make the site more usable and efficient.