Website design (web design) and website development (web development) are two distinct but interrelated aspects of creating a successful website. As a website design and web development agency in Melbourne, we here at MOO don’t like to see well-designed websites that function poorly, nor do we want to see websites that are technically proficient but difficult to navigate and read.
Web design and development: what’s the difference?
Web design focuses on how the website looks and the user experience (UX) aspects of a website. Website designers are responsible for creating the visual elements that users see and interact with. This includes:
- Layouts
- Colour schemes
- Typography
- Graphics
- Images and image treatments
The web designer’s objective is to design a visually appealing and intuitive interface that effectively communicates your website’s purpose and engages with your target audiences.
On the other hand, website development focuses on the technical implementation of the design. Web developers are responsible for turning design concepts into functional websites using programming languages, frameworks, and other tools. They:
- Write the code
- Build the web pages
- Integrate content management systems (CMS) like WordPress
- Implement features such as forms, animations, and interactive elements
Two distinct skill sets but both necessary for your website project.
The development and design process
MOO’s web designers typically begin by creating wireframes and mockups, generating proofs of the new website’s structure and visual hierarchy. These initial designs serve as a blueprint for the website’s layout and functionality. Throughout the web design process, our graphic designers in Melbourne work closely with you and any other stakeholders to understand your objectives, brand identity, and target audience, ensuring that the final design aligns with your brand style and objectives.
Key considerations in website design include brand, usability, accessibility, and responsiveness. Our designers strive to create websites that are easy to navigate, visually consistent across different devices and screen sizes, and accessible to users with disabilities.
MOO’s in-house website development team covers both front-end and back-end development. Front-end development focuses on the client-side aspects of the website, and uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which determine how the site looks and behaves in the user’s browser. The web developers ensure that the web designers design is accurately translated into code and that the website is responsive and optimised for various devices.
Back-end development deals with the server-side aspects of the website, including database management, server configuration, and application logic. They build the infrastructure that supports the website’s functionality, which can include user authentication, content management, e-commerce transactions and third-party systems integrations.
So, whilst website design and development are different skill sets, they are closely intertwined throughout the website creation process. Designers and developers must collaborate closely to ensure that the finished website meets both the user experience and technical requirements.
How can our custom web development and design agency help you?
Looking for custom web design and development? At MOO, we have highly skilled web marketing consultants, web designers and web developers all under the one roof here in Melbourne. No aspect of your website project is outsourced or offshored. This ensures a highly collaborative approach that is necessary to deliver outstanding and practical websites that tick every box, on time and on budget.
If you’re considering a new website or a website refresh, please contact us.
We’d love to help!