In search of an ideal way of working, an increasing number of people are aiming to become independent freelance web designers, which is easy to do even with no experience. There is an appeal in that the more you do, the more you earn, but unlike working for a company, there are many things that you have to manage and solve by yourself.
Therefore, design skills alone may not be enough to get you through, and since you are a freelancer, you also need IT skills. On this page, we will tell you in detail about the skills that people who are considering becoming independent as freelance web designers should acquire.
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Examples of web design work
For freelance web designers, design work is only part of the story. There are several important processes before and after the work, which affect the final design.
First, let’s take a look at the overall job description of a web designer.
Client hearing
Hearing is an important process to hear the client’s wishes. In this process, we will mainly ask about the following:
- Type of website (corporate site, EC site, LP (landing page), etc.)
- Site direction
- Is there a competing site?
- design image
- schedule
Such
If you ensure there are no omissions during the hearing, the subsequent process will proceed smoothly.
Additionally, clients are not necessarily experts in website production. Therefore, during interviews, it is ideal to be able to make suggestions on features and usability that are necessary for a web design professional.
Website requirements definition
Next, we will organize the information based on the content of the interviews and create a requirements definition.
- concept
- the purpose
- user persona
- Differentiation from competing sites
Such
Once you have a clear idea of ​​what you want to achieve, you can decide on your site’s final design, including its color scheme and layout.
In addition to deciding on the foundation of the website, we also provide designer resources (costs, time, etc.) at this requirements definition stage.
Creating wireframes
A wireframe is a conceptual diagram of a website created using only wires and frames. While designing the detailed appearance based on the content of the requirement definition,
- header or footer
- Sidebar
- search box
- image
Such
We will also present the elements that will make up this website as a design proposal.
Also, when designing, it is very important to consider user-friendliness. No matter how good the design is, people won’t like UI or UX which doesn’t understand how users think and behave. Therefore, try creating wireframes with usability in mind.
By the way, wireframes can also be created using Microsoft Office’s PowerPoint or Excel. However, since Adobe products are sometimes used in various processes, Illustrator is often the tool of choice.
graphic production
Graphic production is the process of creating detailed designs. In addition to designing the entire site, we also create designs for each necessary part, such as logos, banners, and images.
Also, if I need photos to post, I’ll take them, and I’ll use illustrations available on the internet to incorporate into the design.
Also, in this process,
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
These two Adobe products are commonly used.
coding
Coding is the process of writing code for site implementation based on the design created during graphic production. At that time, we used markup languages ​​such as HTML and CSS to make small adjustments such as changing headings, links, fonts, etc., and finishing it in a state that users can use when viewing it on a computer or smartphone.
In addition to HTML and CSS
- JavaScript
⇨ Add movement to web pages and display content according to user actions - PHP
⇨ Link with database on EC site or CMS (WordPress)
Depending on the purpose and purpose, programming languages ​​may be used as needed.
In addition, depending on the project, the work may be divided, such as front-end engineers handling coding and design work, and back-end engineers handling server-side processing such as databases.
Skills required for freelance web designers
A certain level of skill is required to have a stable career as a freelance web designer.
Of course, design skills
- programming skills
- marketing skills
- communication skills
- management skills
If you acquire these skills other than design, your market value will increase, and you will gradually be able to get jobs with higher unit prices.
Let’s take a look at the specific content of each skill.
design skills
Design skills can be said to be the skill that makes the biggest difference in my ability as a web designer. If you only use common designs, you won’t be able to differentiate yourself from other designers, and there is a possibility that demand will stagnate. Moreover, as trends change at a rapid pace in this industry, it is essential to keep up with the latest information.
In addition to design skills, knowledge of features specific to web design is also required.
- scroll
- responsive
- breadcrumb trail
Such
It also affects the usability of the site, so if you can create a homepage that is well-received by users, your scope of work will expand.
programming skills
As a web designer, programming skills are essential. Compared to a coder who can only handle HTML/CSS, a front-end engineer who can also handle programming languages ​​will be able to accept a wider range of projects.
Having programming skills also makes communication with engineers smoother and collaboration easier. Since projects with larger unit costs require more collaboration, it is desirable to increase the number of languages ​​that can be handled by at least one to increase income.
marketing skills
If possible, it would be an advantage to have marketing skills as a skill other than design.
A homepage is also an advertisement, and the client wants as many people as possible to use it. Therefore, it is important to understand how the design affects the user, and if you are selling goods or services, it is important to know whether you can draw a conduit that will easily lead to conversion.
To understand these user behaviors and trends, it would be useful to analyze access with Google Analytics and conduct market research using other tools.
It is also a good idea to have SEO knowledge to aim for high rankings on search engines such as Google and Yahoo.
- Page display speed
- mobile first etc.
Since aspects related to design will also be subject to evaluation, it is a good idea to learn this in conjunction with marketing.
communication skills
Freelancers acquire more and more projects by doing their own business or applying to crowdsourcing services. What comes into question is communication skills.
When you hear of communication skills, you may think of things like “getting people talking and having fun,” but
- Ability to listen to requests
- Ability to understand purpose
- power to convey intentions
Such
If anything, it is a necessary skill to proceed smoothly with work and improve the quality of design.
You may think of web designers as working in front of a computer, but there are surprisingly many opportunities to talk, so if you’re not good at it, you should get used to it now.
management skills
Management skills refer to “self-management” in the case of freelancers.
As a freelancer, you can adjust the amount of work you receive, but there are deadlines that you must meet. In other words, if you receive too many requests, you won’t have enough time, and if you miss the deadline, you may end up having trouble trusting the client.
Also, if you push yourself too hard, your body will suffer, so be sure to manage your schedule and tasks so that you can always perform at your best.
How to become a freelance web designer
To become a freelance web designer, it is important to choose an environment that will foster your skills. There are two ways to cover the job content of a web designer and acquire skills:
・Gain experience by working at a company ・Hone your skills at a programming school
We will introduce each method in detail, so please choose the method that suits you best.
Gain experience by working at a company
By gaining experience as a web designer and a company employee, you can improve your skills while receiving a fixed monthly salary. Also, to work as a freelancer, you need to have a track record (portfolio, etc.), so in that sense, it is recommended that you temporarily work for an advertising agency or production company that can be involved in web design.
However, the only disadvantage is whether you will be hired for a job or change. Some job openings have restrictions such as “experienced only” or “age restrictions,” so not everyone will be able to find a job 100% of the time. Your chances of finding a job with good conditions will depend on the timing of your recruitment, so please consider this carefully.
Sharpen your skills at programming school
Another option is to hone your skills and knowledge at a programming school where you can learn web design, and then start working as a freelancer.
Although it is possible to learn by self-study using books or the internet, it is not so easy to acquire the basics of web design. Especially in the beginning, you may not be able to do what you want and it takes time to deal with the problem, or you may get frustrated because you don’t know what to look for to solve the problem you’re stuck on.
At a programming school, the instructors will carefully teach you from the basics, and you will have an environment where you can ask questions about anything you don’t understand.
In addition to HTML/CSS, you can also learn how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, etc., so you can acquire the skills to be active as a web designer.
If you want to become a web designer as soon as possible, consider attending a programming school.
CodeCamp’s Web Design Basic Course and Web Master Course where you can learn web design from the basics
From here, we will introduce CodeCamp’s “Online Course to Learn Web Design,” which provides a curriculum that covers the skills necessary for a web designer.
There are two types of web design courses, basic and master, that allow you to acquire web design skills in as little as 2 months even with no experience, and are popular courses that have been taken by more than 50,000 people to date. Because it is completely online, you can take the course from anywhere in Japan, and you can receive one-on-one lessons from active engineers who have met the strict recruitment criteria with a 10% passing rate.
Let’s take a look at the learning content of the web design course, the school’s features, and how much it costs.
What you can learn in the web design course (side job course)
At Codecamp, you can learn the basics of web design through the Web Design Side Business Course and the Web Design Master Course, both of which have rich content that you can learn. In addition to all the design-related skills that are essential in practice, you can also learn the basics of web design. You can complete your skill acquisition with this one course.
Learning curriculum for the Web Design Side Job Course and Web Design Master Course
Below, you can learn the coding skills necessary for a web designer that can be learned in both the basic and master editions.
- HTML/CSS
⇨ Markup language that creates the structure of the site and decorates its appearance - JavaScript/jQuery
⇨ Language required to create a website that responds to user movements - Photoshop/Illustrator
⇨ Software used in website production, such as logo and icon creation, photo processing, etc. - Bootstrap
⇨ A template for creating web designs
Not only can you learn how to create websites that are attractive to users, but by learning Bootstrap you can also learn responsive design that can be adapted to any screen size, including PCs, smartphones, and tablets.
*The above is part of the curriculum content that can be learned in common. In addition to the above, in the master edition, you can systematically learn the curriculum necessary to become independent as a web designer, such as LP design, UI design, banner design, side job literacy, etc.
What are the characteristics of Code Camp’s web design course?
First of all, you can choose the plan that suits you from Code Camp’s Web Design Side Business Course and Basic Course.
The feature of the web design side job course is that it aims to acquire skills to the level where you can change jobs or start a side job as a web designer in six months.
Another feature of the web design course is that it is a basic course where you can firmly learn the basics of coding and graphic design such as HTML and CSS necessary for web design.
A feature of the course that allows you to aim for any type of web design is that it provides one-on-one lessons that allow you to learn at your own pace, eliminating the fear of proceeding without understanding or giving up. You can learn while doing it.
Using Google Meet, you can share your computer screen and ask the instructor questions while looking at the code if you don’t understand something.
Therefore, even if you can’t explain what you don’t understand, you can receive high-quality feedback. What’s more, there is a “favorite instructor” function, so you can continue studying with instructors who are compatible with you, creating an environment where you are less likely to get discouraged.
In addition to acquiring skills, you can also consult with career consultants about your future. One of the features of the Design Master course is that a professional in the field will follow you in a career that suits you, and you will not end up just learning.
Web design side job course enrollment plan
The enrollment plan for the web design side job course is divided into two parts: the web design side job course and the web design basics course, and the web design basics course is divided into three courses depending on how much study time you can secure per week.
| Web design side job course | |
|---|---|
| Features | This is a course that aims to acquire skills to the level where you can change jobs or start a side job as a web designer in six months. |
| period | 6 months |
| Price (tax included) | 528,000 yen |
| Number of lessons/week | 36 times |
| Estimated study time/week | 15 hours |
| Web design basic course | |
|---|---|
| Features | This is a basic course where you can firmly learn the basics of coding and graphic design such as HTML and CSS necessary for web design. |
| period | 2 months, 4 months, 6 months |
| Price (tax included) | 198,000 yen (2 months), 308,000 yen (4 months), 363,000 yen (6 months) |
| Number of lessons/week | 20 times (2 months), 40 times (4 months), 60 times (6 months) |
| Estimated study time/week | 20-25 hours (2 months), 10-15 hours (4 months), 5-10 hours (6 months) |
*Each course requires an additional admission fee of 33,000 yen (tax included).
You can choose a course that suits your lifestyle, such as if you want to acquire skills as quickly as possible or while balancing school and work, so please choose a course that allows you to study at your own pace.
