Lessons from Failure: How Setbacks Can Propel You Forward
2 January 2026
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The Truth About Web Design
The Truth About Web Design
Download Audio: The Truth About Web Design
“Is web design hard?”, a friend of mine asked me the other day, and my answer to this question was, “It depends who you ask”. For me, web design can be described as a challenging, and yet fulfilling undertaking. You might be surprised to learn that the challenging aspect of it rarely has much to do with the technical side of things.
It is rather the human side, that is most challenging, because often, you are required to fulfil people’s desires, when half the time, even those people themselves, have no idea what it is that they want.
Even when they have an idea, it is often never fully formed, and in need of extensive improvement, to realise the final concept. As a web designer, you have to transform their vague comprehension of what a website entails, and marry it to what they would like to achieve in reality. Web design is sculpting ideas and expectations into tangible reality.
Meeting The Client
Let me point out, that I am using the term “meet” figuratively, as I rarely get to meet most of my clients in person, since the entire web design and development process, is often carried out remotely, without physical interaction. All thanks to the marvels of modern day communications technology.
Meeting the client is the process that entails getting to understand the client as a person or brand. On one hand, there is the category of clients, that are very clear and precise about their conception of themselves, or their brand.
They have a distinct understanding of what it is they embody, and know precisely how, that should be communicated to their target audience. On the other extreme end, of the opposite side of the spectrum, are clients, who have no sense of who they are as a brand, but most importantly have no comprehension of how a website fits into the management, and promotion of that brand.
Obviously, there is a wide mix of types of clients who fall in-between these two extremes, and the process of meeting the client, is focused on identifying client needs.
Formulating a Strategy
Regardless of where a client lies in the spectrum outlined above, as a web designer, it is important to formulate a strategy, for the website design. A strategy allows the web designer to have a clear execution plan, with regards to the web design project.
It is undesirable to have a website, that is complete in construction, but does not serve the needs of the client. The job of the web designer is therefore, to ensure that, the needs and objectives of the client are realised, in the final product, that is the website.
Some of the most important considerations, for any website project, are invariably related to marketing, and promotional efforts. I might even dare to say, that more than 80% of a website’s success, is not usually tied to how well it is designed, or how beautiful it is, but rather on how well, and effectively it is marketed and promoted.
It is of no significance, to have the most amazing website built, when no one gets to see it. After all, the purpose of a website is to be viewed, thereby conveying information, in one form or other.
Depending on the client’s budget, and how they perceive their website, they might choose to promote it organically, through email lists, and social media, or make use of paid advertising. Search engine optimization is also a good and important consideration, when promoting a website.
Creating Content
Irrespective of the marketing strategy chosen, to promote a website, it is essential that a content creation strategy, is put in place. The marketing strategies mentioned above, are ineffective, unless they are used in the face of a solid, content creation strategy.
Content is the lifeblood of any website. It is what drives traffic to the site, so that people can access content they find captivating. This is a major aspect of running a successful website, that is essential, although not well appreciated by clients. Often, clients do not give as much thought to it, as they should.
There are many forms of content types, ranging from text and images, through to audio as well as, video formats. In order to keep site content fresh, a strategy, in the form of recurring activities, that publish material on the website is essential.
Publishing a blog is often a good idea, that ensures the website has regular fresh content. Depending on the client’s creativity, and available resources, a Youtube channel, or a podcast, to draw visitors to the website, are also worth considering.
Code and Graphics
It is always a good idea, to lay the ground-work, for a web design project, by planning ahead with client assessments, and the collection of content material. Once the initial phases involving the client have been done away with, the technical task of web design and development begins.
Like I said at the beginning, the complexity varies, depending on whom you ask. Most of my web design projects are implemented using the Joomla Content Management System, CMS or WordPress, at their core.
The design is implemented in the CMS, so that content management, is simplified, and future edits of the website can be carried out, without requiring any technical skills. With the CMS in place, all I do is give my clients a username and password, so that they can log in to the site, and edit content, without being exposed to any code. Unless they want to do so, of course.
Building the website involves a mix of coding, and graphics manipulation, in order for everything to look on point, and communicate the client’s brand message, in the best possible light. Editing the site, and adding content is a much simpler affair, which makes the client’s lives, when updating the site, very simple.
Testing and Review
Quality control, is the final, and perhaps most crucial aspect of the web design process. Having built the website according to assessed client needs, it is critical that problems that may occur when it runs, are anticipated, and eliminated, before the site goes live. After the designer tests all aspects of the site, it is taken up for client review.
During the review, the client makes a thorough assessment, to see that the design meets their expectations, and that all features promised for the design, have been implemented successfully. It is only after the client gives the go-ahead, that the website is published online.
Often, there will be changes that the client will require, and sometimes the web designer would have to backtrack with do-overs, and lose a lot of work and effort, which the client finds unsatisfactory. The idea is to meet client expectations, and deliver on promises.
A Human Encounter
When people hear the term “Web Design”, most think in technical terms. They think HTML, or CSS, or JPEGs, or PSDs. Whilst all these are prominent aspects, definitive of the website design and development process, they are by far, a small although important, fragment of the bigger picture.
For me, the truth about web design, is that it is a human encounter that can be challenging at times. An interaction with clients, in an effort to find the best representation of their brand embodied in bits of code, text, images and multimedia. The moment where the technical, and the aesthetics, meet for the higher purpose of communicating an idea, or a concept to a potentially global audience.
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