Is Web Design truly Dead?

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During today's Professional Practices lecture, we were asked what we wanted to specialise in. After explaining that I was interested in Digital Design but more specifically in Web Design & Development, I was told along the lines of:

"Web Design is Dead"

Although extremely disheartening for a student just starting their journey to hear that their chosen career path is 'dead' or 'dying', I thought gathering some research into whether there was truth in this statement. Learning about others' points of view can be insightful and expand your knowledge further.

Personally I chose this industry because designing has always interested me. My creative journey started at a young age when I simply enjoyed drawing.


(Gattuso, n.d.).

Once I reached secondary school, this progressed into a GCSE in Fine Art and in ICT. Deciding to attend a STEM technical college, was where I put art to one side and studied Computer Science and Engineering. I really enjoyed both subjects and the fundamentals of coding but found functionality difficult. Without seeing a visual outcome, coding felt less fullfilling and enjoyable. Building my first proper website with the aid of my tutor, helped me realise that I missed designing. This lead me to apply for Digital Media Design at University instead of a BSc in Computer Science.

From my educational history its clear that this interest for Digital Design and web was always present. I enjoy different elements of this creative umbrella however I believe website design/development is one of my strengths which is why I decided to persue this area further in second year. This isn't to say that I'm not flexible further into my career but currently this is where my interest is. 

Okay so, is web design dead? 

There are many conflicting opinions online but I am really started to understand where Dean is coming from with the introduction of constantly improving client-friendly software. This will allow individuals to design their own websites without the aid of a professional. However, I have previously completed a couple of freelance projects where I have designed websites on Wix and Weebly for clients - this shows that you still need creativity and time to create a professional outcome. As more digital native individuals become employed or own companies in the future, there is a risk that the website design industry will die but this shouldn't be at an exponential rate. 

This isn't to say that I shouldn't continue down my current chosen path as skills in website design and development are transferable but will work harder to diversify and expand my horizons further. Perhaps I'll delve into User Experience design instead, we'll see.

GATTUSO, SA. (n.d.). Childen's drawing of a concert. Unpublished.

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