Many web designers will answer to that term, “designer”, but it is rarely specific enough to detail what they actually do. To non-designers, it may seem obvious what a designer does – they design the look and feel of websites, right? Sure, they do, but there are a lot of specific aspects to web design that can be broken down into different positions within a company. Understanding what your company needs from a designer and what applicants have to offer, compared to others, can help you make sure you get the right person on your team.
The following is a shortlist of a few of the most popular job titles that fall under the “web designer” umbrella. It is by no means exhaustive and some companies combine two or more designer jobs into one position that they fill with one individual with many talents. However, this may help give you a better understanding of certain types of designers that you may need on your team.
UX – User Experience Designer
A UX Designer is responsible for understanding the website’s or app’s users and ensuring that the functionality drives them to the next desired action. They may draw wireframes and perform user research to make decisions on the project’s structure and basic design, but they aren’t always the designer that puts together the final product. Some companies break this position down even further by having a UX Researcher, whose role is more on the user research side than the implementation of that research into a website or app concept.
Visual Designer
Visual Designers are responsible for creating the visual elements that will make the website or app unique, such as icons, fonts, and logos. Highly artistic and creative, they may not always have the technical skills necessary to create websites or apps but their contribution to the end product is critical.
UI – User Interface Designer
A UI Designer is responsible for taking direction from the UX Designer and translating into an actual website or app using the elements created by the Visual Designer. They may work closely with backend developers to make sure the integration works smoothly, and they are usually experts in HTML, CSS, and Javascript.
If your company is looking for someone to fill one of these roles or you could use some advice on what kind of designer you need, contact BWBacon today!
