The life of a web designer in Enfield – changing industry

Being a web designer in Enfield, I’m used to receiving location specific requests from places such as Southgate, Barnet and Palmers Green, but the fact is work can come in from anywhere in the country, even the world. As the universe of web design and web development begins to evolve dramatically (just look back at the last ten years alone), we are seeing continual shifts and forward-leaps taking place.

Every industry can experience fundamental changes that can alter it in a completely radical way. Change can be for the better of course; big changes can lead to new opportunities, new products and new companies. As a web designer in Enfield I’ve always got my eye on the ball to track these new developments. It’s a big part of what I do. Even the small shifts can lead to larger, more impressive changes down the road.

Example; for a long time now, the main focus of web development as its own industry has been consistency in design – meaning that all websites render identically across all browsers from Internet Explorer to Firefox to Google Chrome. Then along comes progressive enhancement that accommodates modern browsers with advanced features but not unsupported browsers from days gone by. It’s a seed of change, for better or worse. The idea of universal websites is still alive however, regardless of the annoying glitches that can be suffered in the web design process.

This is why, through the competitive nature of the web design world, it is important to be aware of the minor and the major effects, because we are all working in a rapidly growing and fast evolving industry. If you don’t keep up, you’re obsolete quicker than you can press Ctrl-Alt-Del.

For me, as a web designer in Enfield, I recognise that almost everyone under the age of 18 will find it hard to imagine a time when the Internet was not such an integral part of daily living. Web design was a specialist niche that only the select could do – now there are universities across the globe that teaches the craft to students barely old enough to drive. It’s a sign of just how far the Web has come in our time. And it’s only going to keep growing and changing.

From the beginnings of Text Based sites to the arrival of CSS and Javascript right through to the emergence of mobile web, these developments have constantly tested the worth of web designers. My experiences as a web designer in Enfield have taught me to use these technologies to their fullest potential for the benefits of clients and customers. Beyond that, web design work is about staying in step with the designs that impress in the 21^st Century and how to communicate your ideas and concepts across to clients, and vice versa.

A part of the changes that occur throughout the industry are not simply the technologies but also the nature of businesses and consumerism. An essential element here is following the trends and patterns that emerge so the design of a site matches the type of business and visitor. Web designers have adapted to the New World Wide Web. Think about the technologies that have had huge impact on this industry and the entire world for that matter; think about the success of Apple and the iPhone & iPad; think about the introduction of Apps; think about the way content is now created and consumed.

Research is the key to success in this line of work. It’s about keeping your finger on the electronic pulse of the industry, its market and the emerging technologies and concepts that lead us towards progressive change.

My name is Pete Winter and I’m a web designer in Enfield covering a broad area in and around London. Contact me for further information or to talk about projects.