Calling all designers...

**LazyJim** · 10-18-2003, 05:03 AM

...fake.

OK not all designers are fake, but there's an incredible number of self proclaimed designers that don't design, or even know the first thing about it.

There are two meanings to the word, and most people don't know this, or don't know which one they are using. Also while you may know, the people reading that you are a designer, probably don't.

Design is:
1) to plan and invent the route from problem to solution.
2) a decorative or artistic work.

Notice that (1) is a verb, and (2) is a noun.
Creating (2) makes you an artist not a designer.
If you carry out the processes involved in (1) then you are a Designer.
If you apply (1) to create (2) you are a Graphic Designer.

It's not necessarily your own fault.
Every time I tell someone I am a "Web Designer" they assume I just make web sites look pretty.
I think it started when graphics tools on the computer gave anyone the power to create visual designs and graphics, and publishing to the web became easy as pie.
People who created graphic designs for web pages and published them as web pages put 2 and 2 together and made 22; they called them selves Web Designers. They are actually Graphic Designers in a Web context.

While I do not want to devalue Graphic Design, and understand the importance of visual appeal. I wan't people to know what they are, and what they do, I want real designers to get the recognition they deserve, and above all, I want the public to understand, or at least appreciate the difference.

If "Web Designers" and "Graphic Designers for the Web" cannot tell the difference, then how are the public going to find out?

Suspicious · 10-18-2003, 07:44 AM

Define "Web Developer" then, I'm thoroughly lost now.

**LazyJim** · 10-18-2003, 07:58 AM

In a literal sense, a web developer one who activly develops the web, which is a very broad term and can include anything from helping the W3C create solid useful standards, to promoting the use of usefull web technologies.

In the most commonly accepted definition is a software developer in the context of the Web.

Developing software implies properly designing it, creating it, and testing it.

"Web Developer" is commonly thought of as someone who does the back-end code of sites, especially the server side.
It's probably correct, but shouldn't really be limited to that.

That's my view on it anyway, there are many undefined terms and buzzwords, like "Web Master", there are so many on the Web because so many people can call themselves anything they like. And the interpretation is often left up to the general Web public, and is often shaped by the poeple calling themselves that thing, wheather they are accurate or not.

Gede · 10-18-2003, 08:23 AM

Fine, now its all clear.

Now back to work, making websites.

raciviusdawn · 10-18-2003, 08:26 AM

lol @ gede....

good points LJ but this argument is useless..it'll take a nationwide campaign to clear this up with everyone across the world ya know.

Suspicious · 10-18-2003, 08:41 AM

Somebody find a way to post this rant on the Goodyear blimp, the world shall be enlightened!

**LazyJim** · 10-18-2003, 09:26 AM

lmao!

good idea suspicious, i'll get right on it...

**LazyJim** · 10-18-2003, 09:29 AM

oh yeah, and it seems that no-one cares.

or just can't be bothered because of the difficulty, maybe if there WAS somewhere that we could point everyone to educate themselves, it would make it easy for us. The success of it obviously would not be very large scale, but ya never know - if we could just plant the seed and water it a bit...

I may even make the website and call it "Goodyear blimp" in memory of this thread!

Suspicious · 10-18-2003, 09:42 AM

Oh dear, what have I done?

Personally, I was somewhat interested in this. I'm the type that doesn't have the creative ability to make jaw dropping layouts, but I do enjoy coding HTML and php and whatnot trying to get some certain aspect of a site to work (if somebody else has a layout in mind, I'm perfect for implementing it). I would've used "Web Developer" but I just tweak things that are pre-existing to suit a unique need, I don't actually "program" anything just yet.

**LazyJim** · 10-18-2003, 09:44 AM

If you do care, I'm really going to need your support.

I want to raise awarness and educate.
I want to pull off this project in a way that provides a good example of design in itself, and publish it of course.

So, I've percieved a problem -- people in general mix the two defenitions of design -- and propose to develop a solution.

All help much appreciated.

Right now I'm looking for like-minded people, and related articles (on web sites and in books or TV programs...).

Suspicious · 10-18-2003, 10:08 AM

Well, as far as I can see, people are just mixing up the general definition of the two. I can see what you want to accomplish, but how are you going to go about doing so? The closest way I can see you to do so is in a well written essay.

Got meat for your site?

gecko · 10-18-2003, 10:18 AM

that was a lot of words to say you want a quality product IMO

Cibok · 10-18-2003, 10:32 AM

I make webpages = im a webdesigner
DUH

**LazyJim** · 10-18-2003, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gecko

that was a lot of words to say you want a quality product IMO

OK but it was supposed to inform people about how quality comes about.

Quote:

The closest way I can see you to do so is in a well written essay.

Got meat for your site?

I'm not a great writer (probably not news to any og you!)
And who would read an essay?
Presenting it as a web site I think would be more appealing, and have a greater audience, that is also more targeted.
Anyway like I said, I am approaching this as a project to be a basic example of design. So choosing the medium will be part of the process.

**LazyJim** · 10-18-2003, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cibok

I make webpages = im a webdesigner
DUH

- excellent example showing nievety.

making is not designing
making a web site does not make you a web designer in itself.

you only call yourself a webdesigner because you percieved that making web sites is what "webdesingers" do.

If you don't design the sites before making them then you are not a designer.

another issue is whether design matters, but first lets get the basic language sorted, like the word "design"

gecko · 10-18-2003, 11:39 AM

i feell this way about alot of SO CALLED graphics people

gecko · 10-18-2003, 11:39 AM

thye slap together soem layer styles and some nifty fonts and call themselves graphic designers

Suspicious · 10-18-2003, 11:41 AM

This would be an exercise in reasoning, and the only way to get people to understand would be getting them to think.

I'm not too entirely sure how you would do that though without some type of essay or rant illustrating to people point by point the difference between a designer, a developer, a artist, and whatever else there is.

Although I just had a weird thought. How about a site discussing the qualities that make a good site (I'm quite sure it's been done before, however)?

Suspicious · 10-18-2003, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gecko

thye slap together soem layer styles and some nifty fonts and call themselves graphic designers

...also why I'm trying to develop my skills before I call myself anything.

gecko · 10-18-2003, 11:47 AM

well suspicious if thats the case, ill send u a link of a site that prefectly illustrate crappy graphics