Baxter - when you say "backend programmer" do you mean XHTML/CSS/Javascript? Or do you mean PHP or Rails?
My general experience is: designers I've worked with create the layered photoshop documents, graphics, look and feel. They are all also proficient at markup/css even if they don't write it themselves. They design with markup in mind. Theme builders (I work mostly in open-source CMS, but this is true for the SAS folks I know) are very very proficient at markup/CSS, know Javascript enough to use it and are familiar with basic coding syntax like if/else and print functions and variables. Some are also designers, some are not and whether or not designing is necessary depends on the organization. Usually, in my limited experience, there is a designer doing most of the design, not a theme builder. Programmers predominantly write code (which describes me now, though I do theme building from time to time but not designing because I suck at it). They can have a good design sense, it is a visual medium, but don't create design. They handle the logic layer. Sadly, too many programmers don't know markup. My feeling is that both designers and programmers should know markup, meeting on common ground, but neither needs to be expert at the other's job. Just be able to speak the same language to accomplish the goals. I agree that if they want someone to create a custom expert design, build a theme, and write a custom module that enhances functionality (oh, and do server support too) something is bound to fall short. The ads for positions don't reflect the actual jobs in this field, I think, because many jobs are filled by word of mouth. Specializing happens naturally as the work dictates. The ads reflect positions that are being shopped for or are in higher turnover companies. And right now, too many employers are shopping for a Lexus, thinking they are on sale, when they actually have a Ford Taurus position. Nobody will be happy a year from now in those cases. Just my opinion. Diana Baxter wrote: > Hello, I am new here and actually just stumbled across Refresh Austin > on Twitter, from what I gather it sounds like an amazing tool to bring > Austin professionals together. > > Recently like many of you I was laid off. I have been freelancing > while I actively look for new opportunities but it seems now more than > ever businesses are trying to consolidate heads and being a graphic > designer is hardly about designing and is more about being a one stop > marketing shop. It seems like so many jobs require you to be a great > print designer, proficient backend web programer, know server > technologies, be able to copywrite, be an illustrator, and be a good > photographer. > > I have a "can do attitude," and consider myself to have a pretty broad > skill set but am starting to find this is pretty unreasonable to think > anyone can excel in all of these individual areas. Especially the > mental/education disconnect between creative design and backend > programming. > > How do you think this gap will be bridged in the coming years? Will > designers be forced to be equally backend programmers to stay employed > or will programmers be forced to learn design? Will they go back to > being two very diverse fields of expertise? Or will new technologies > solve the problem and make it easier for both designers and > programmers? > > Would love to hear your opinions. > > Baxter Orr > www.baxterorr.com > www.twitter.com/baxterorr > > -- Our Web site: http://www.RefreshAustin.org/ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Refresh Austin" group. [ Posting ] To post to this group, send email to Refresh-Austin@googlegroups.com Job-related postings should follow http://tr.im/refreshaustinjobspolicy We do not accept job posts from recruiters. [ Unsubscribe ] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to refresh-austin-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com [ More Info ] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Refresh-Austin
