Has web design become an outdated business?

With programs like dreamweaver becoming used less, and browser based web builder software becoming more popular and easier to use by the day, will people seeking web design simply resort to building their own websites using these easy to use apps that are offered as free extra's by most hosting companies?

I don't think there is much money to be made in web design anymore.


Am i wrong??

Please tell me.

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You are 100% wrong... that's my opinion though.

True web "design" is so much more than just design.

Although it may be easier for one to design a website nowadays. IMO You will still get buyers looking for a unique design to be made by someone who actually knows what they are doing.

I am not familiar with the apps you talk of, but they are most likely limited in some way or another ... ?

You are 100% wrong... that's my opinion though.

True web "design" is so much more than just design.
Agreed. Having a copy of Dreamweaver on your computer does not mean the user knows how to create a proper site design. I've seen a whole lot of crap "designs" created in DW.

The only part that you are partially correct about is that with many web hosts now offering sitebuilders, most of them have plenty of premade site templates. While most of those templates leave much to be desired, they are at least presentable and are usually far better than what a newbie tries to create in DW.

Vito

It's the cheap software and mass templates that are actually growing the professional design industry!

These are a great gateway for small businesses and individuals who know they need a site but aren't ready to make the leap up to professional design services. Cheap alternatives simply create a market, when people realize that those alternatives, while better than nothing are lacking in so many ways.

I've always been fond of site builders and premade templates, because it gives us something to compare ourselves against, makes the conversation with potential clients go much smoother when they can see, understand and measure the difference.

Our latest client currently uses a Joomla theme. Realizing how inadequate this is for their needs, they engaged us and a few other design companies to discuss what they really wanted to get out of having a Web presence. Their needs are actually reasonably complex and will require a decent bit of custom CMS work. The client will pay roughly $20,000 for the work (we actually underquoted this compared to some of the others), but it will pay off handsomely for them in the long run.

I've always been fond of site builders and premade templates, because it gives us something to compare ourselves against, makes the conversation with potential clients go much smoother when they can see, understand and measure the difference.

Our latest client currently uses a Joomla theme. Realizing how inadequate this is for their needs, they engaged us and a few other design companies to discuss what they really wanted to get out of having a Web presence. Their needs are actually reasonably complex and will require a decent bit of custom CMS work. The client will pay roughly $20,000 for the work (we actually underquoted this compared to some of the others), but it will pay off handsomely for them in the long run.
Paul is a seasoned shark in the water. He knows how to use his competition to his advantage, and then goes in for the kill. :D

Good on ya, Paul. :agree: (Hey, why don't we have a shark emoticon??) :(

Vito

There are plenty of terrible designs out there... If you use dreamweaver to create your site chances are it won't look as proffesional as if a web designer were to design it.

I think there is room for both. I have Dreamweaver and suck at it. Great for edits and tweaking though. I can work with templates, but I sub out to a designer when I have a serious client. Want more serious clients :)

Web design ... or html coder ... yah html coders are screwed but Web designers, if they are creative and artistic the can make some big bucks.

Web design ... or html coder ... yah html coders are screwed but Web designers, if they are creative and artistic the can make some big bucks.

HTML is a part of the web design process so how can you say they are screwed? :confused:

Yes, very well done said because now there are some very good tools available that you can use them for the designing purposes and the latest technology has opened a new era of web designing and more and more people are using the new technology to make some very good flashy web designs....:cool:

This is possibly the most ridiculous thread I've seen all year.

can u seggest me a web site from where i can learn web design online ?

HTML is a part of the web design process so how can you say they are screwed? :confused:

because now there is software which can automatically code PSD into HTML.

;6669684']This is possibly the most ridiculous thread I've seen all year.

The year just started?

There are plenty of terrible designs out there... If you use dreamweaver to create your site chances are it won't look as proffesional as if a web designer were to design it.

Utta rubbish :D, I use dreamweaver to edit professional templates for some clients.

very good flashy web designs....:cool:
Not sure those words should ever be lined up together,
but I guess it depends on the purpose of the web site.

He does have a point. This does have to be hurting freelancers and such.

Bad web design has gotten a lot easier, but it still takes an experienced web designer to build a site that looks and feels like a modern website. Most of the easy site building tools produce sites that look and feel about like something MS FrontPage coughed up.

He does have a point. This does have to be hurting freelancers and such.

I think the part where professional and skilled designers are hurt is when you have a flood of new people coming into the market using these tools and claiming they can design. It doesn't exactly break the back of the industry like OP suggested, but it certainly muddies the waters for freelance professionals that depend on clients understanding the value of good design, which by the way also includes markup.

But all in all there's still a big visual difference in what's being produced by newcomers with these tools and professional designers today. And it's up to the serious designers to do the leg work and prove why cheap and fast doesn't equal good.

And just like the newspapers vs internet media issue, the industry shouldn't fear new technology and fight it, but learn which areas to embrace and thrive with it.

Businesses don't want to learn something. That is why they are hiring companies to do this. Everyone business I've talked with know about the free offerings, but they want it done right. I good business owner knows that it takes money to make money. Hiring a professional to do the job will create more income in the long run, and that is what their after.

It's been a long time since I did a new site completely for scratch for a client. Most of my work is fixing the stuff somebody else screwed up.

I think your wrong.

There is a lot of money in web designing,
it depends if you fish for the right clients with the right amount of money I guess.