Web Developers: Avoid these 4 Common Web Design Pitfalls

Although there are individuals who are equally talented in the areas of web design and web development (if you thought both of these job titles were the same thing, it would serve you well to go do a little research before you finish reading this article), most people lean towards one area or the other.  However, there are many situations when it either becomes necessary for a person to wear both of these hats, or they decide that it would benefit them to begin taking on the responsibility of both of these roles.

If you are a developer and are planning on making your way into the world of web design, you have my full support.  However, before you start your journey, I want to share four common web design problems that many developers have encountered in the past.  Hopefully, by reading over this list, you will be able to avoid these issues entirely.

Center, Center, Center: There’s nothing wrong with centering certain elements of a website (I personally prefer when an entire layout is centered on the screen).  However, when you start centering things like text, you are entering into some murky territory.  While there are instances when this may work, there are far more where it simply looks bad.  So, as you begin designing, make sure that you avoid the impulse to center every single element in your design.

Using Free Stock Photography: The web would be a much more attractive place if the same images weren’t displayed on a countless number of websites.  Don’t get me wrong; stock photography can be a great way to enhance a design.  However, instead of simply opting for the same pictures that everyone else is using, go ahead and spend a little money on a less common stock picture.  There are many websites that offer stock pictures for only a couple of dollars a piece, and while this is very inexpensive, it will set you apart from the people who refuse to pay anything for their images.

Being a Know It All: When it comes to web development, I don’t doubt that you are an expert.  However, you are new to the world of web design, and you need to respect that you have a lot to learn.  Therefore, before you fire up Photoshop or open a text editor, take the time to view and appreciate as much of the top notch design work on the Internet as possible.  You never know too much to stop learning, and this could not be more true when you are brand new to a field like web design.

Settling: I would guess that as a great developer, you don’t settle on your code until it is perfect.  Even when it works, you continue to tweak it until it meets the high standards that you hold for yourself.  So, with this in mind, why would you settle on creating a decent web design?  By applying the same scrutiny to your designs that you do your code, you will be amazed at the levels you are able to begin taking your design projects to.

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