The very fact that this is even in question with any designer is an indication of how degraded the title has become since computers hit the industry. Design was and has always been about communication and functionality - my degree in 84-88 was 'Visual Communications', not 'web design' or 'making things look cool'.
Another reason - excuse the plug - why the tagline of my company is 'Design That Works'.
It annoys and frustrates me that the reputation and integrity of the design industry has been so ruined in the eyes of clients by the media (endless images of frustrated business people trying to contact their designers who are out skateboarding), software developers ("buy this app and you'll instantly become a designer! No need to pay design agencies ever again!"), the greed of the dot-com boom ("I've been renovating bathrooms for ten years but I think I'll be a designer cause they make lots of money and you can work from home"), fly-by-night colleges ("Complete our two-week course and you'll be a web designer!") and the whole image of design being a cool and easy thing to do.
End of rant!
Peter
On 01/04/2004, at 9:36 AM, Mark Stanton wrote:
To the key character of a good web designer (apart from<x-tad-bigger>
artistic talent) is that they respect their medium and their audience. If a
designer shows any sign of getting upset about having their artist whims
challenged by "browser limitations" or accessibility - don't hire them.
</x-tad-bigger>Universal Head�
Design That Works.
7/43 Bridge Rd Stanmore
NSW 2048 Australia
T (+612) 9517 1466
F (+612) 9565 4747
E [EMAIL PROTECTED]
W www.universalhead.com
