[thelist] Are Web designers a dying breed?

[John Dowdell]

Some good stuff here... my short two cents is that a designer implements
solutions to problems. A good designer anticipates needs not expressed in
the project spec... a good designer anticipates the eventual needs of
others.

Much of what's taught as "design" is actually teaching how to be a certain
variety of "stylist". That's not a long-term skill.

For me, a good designer finds ways to discover what people need... the
things that underlie what they *think* they need... and the things that
will eventually be needed by those in a relationship with the client (site
visitors, etc). Once they know those dynamics, it's a smaller task to
implement and test something which satisfies those needs.

Web-stylists may evolve, or abandon the area, but a web-designer is someone
who creates useful networked interfaces, and I see that need continuing to
increase.

Regards,
John Dowdell