Working in web development can be a rewarding career. If you enjoy coding, you may see what role you could fulfill as a front-end, back-end, or full-stack developer. If your programming skills are not that strong, you may think there is no place for you in this field. In truth, there are many different people responsible for what you see and use when you are on the internet. If the idea of being involved in web development is appealing to you, there is probably a career that is a good fit.
Coding is Key
Everything involved in building a website revolved around coding. The code tells the page how to look and what to do. It helps the user interact with the page and administrators manage data. Without functional programming, there is no website or app. Front-end and back-end programming can be two different specialties, but often a company will choose to hire individuals who can handle both, known as full-stack developers. If you are a strong programmer, but worried that you don’t have the design skills required to pull off front-end design, understand that design and related matters are handled by someone else. You create their idea with your code.
Education Helps
While UX and UI design do not require the same type of technical knowledge you need to build a website, it does require many skills. You need to understand human psychology. This allows you to create a map and design for a website that is intuitive and keeps people coming back. You need to understand enough basic coding to know what can and cannot be done when building a site. You also need to understand marketing principles and how they apply in the digital marketplace. You will need to keep users’ needs first when making all decisions. This can be a challenge when coders and product managers are eager to push their priorities.
You do not need a technical degree to work as a UX or UI designer. Many degrees in the liberal arts field can provide a solid base for pivoting into this career path. Psychology and marketing are also strong choices for individuals hoping to become UX or UI developers. Taking out school loans to pay for a degree in humanities or liberal arts majors can be stressful, as these degrees often do not always provide a career path that is well compensated. Focusing on UX and UI design gives you an outlet for your creative voice in a solid paying career.
Appearance and Usability Matter
If you have an interest in tech, but coding isn’t your strong suit, you may be interested in becoming a UI or UX developer. A UI developer is responsible for the user interface. This means creating a website that creates an ideal experience for users. They aim to make the website easy, enjoyable, and intuitive to use. A UI designer needs to have solid design skills. A UX designer is responsible for the user experience. There is a great deal of overlap between UI and UX when creating a website. UX goes a little deeper with branding and function. Again, a strong design background is key. Working in UI or UX design allows you to have many of the benefits of working in the tech field, such as generous compensation and benefits and a strong job market, without requiring a huge amount of technical knowledge.
