Website design and development are terms that are all too often used interchangeably, or even simultaneously, leading many people to assume that they are one and the same. Ultimately however, while website development ties in very closely with design, these two services have very different purposes and goals when it comes to the overall success of a website.
What are the core differences between the two, and how do they work together to create an amazing website? Let’s take a look…
What is Website Development?
First, let’s have a look at what website development is all about. Web developers are often referred to as programmers or propeller heads. This is a very apt term, as programming is what developers do best. You could think of development as the behind-the-scenes work that takes various components (including the design of the site) and creates a working website that includes images, content, links, buttons and various other features. Many tools are used in the development of websites, from content management systems such as WordPress to programming languages such as PHP.
While a developer may have some experience in design as well as programming, the majority are highly trained specialists in their field, with qualifications in coding, development and various programming languages to their names. Developers make your site work, they are not necessarily the brains behind what it looks like.
What is Website Design?
Website design on the other hand is very closely linked to the development, as this is often where a website begins its journey. Design focuses on the way that a website looks, and how it is used. What colours are best, what images work and the overall user experience are all taken into consideration. Most importantly our designers work with the brand as a whole in mind, ensuring that we create a consistent and unified brand identity across all mediums. Designers make use of tools such as Adobe Photoshop to create beautiful, easy-to-use website designs that our development team make work on the web.
Web designers work closely with our Account Executives and Brand Strategists in order to understand the unique requirements of each of our clients, before creating a website information hierarchy that guides the design process. From there, wireframes are created and approved, before the design stage begins. Many design principles are used to create powerful websites that look good and perform well, from balance to colour, layout, style and space. At Coffee Creative Studio we follow a strict process to develop a full website mock-up for our clients to approve. This gives our clients a chance to see the vision for the website before development begins. Once the design is finalised and the mock-up is signed off, it is typically sent on to one of our developers, who will use the approved design to program the website behind-the-scenes and make it work beautifully!
Why We Need Design and Development
At Coffee Creative Studio, our business is split into two departments, design and development. Our designers don’t develop and our developers don’t design. It is this process that allows the individual to be a master in their field and not a “jack of all trades”. As you can see, both web development and design play vital roles in the creation of a website. While it is possible to find people who can do both, it is almost always best to find a team that consists of a talented designer and a skilled developer. This will ensure that your website is a success from the very beginning all the way until the final touches have been finalised and your website goes live! It will also ensure that your website looks amazing, but works perfectly as well.
Here at Coffee Creative Studio, we offer bespoke website development and design solutions that are tailored to your needs. Contact us to learn more about our unique approach.
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