Infinite Path

Web design and web development are two elements which, like most things online, evolve constantly. New ideas and trends emerge on a daily basis, causing thousands of people to post articles such as this one explaining their views on the subject.

In reality, it is impossible to pin down the direction in which web design and web development are going. Many of the designers who were playing with Dreamweaver 10 years ago now no longer design but merely talk about how to do it and contemplate what it will become. This is what makes it a fascinating part of the online industry.

Who’s to say what will happen in the next year, two years or even 10 years? As technology evolves, requirements become far more complex. It is equally fascinating to think that those designers, who once spent days and nights in their bedroom learning code, now do not actually need to work in the traditional sense. Instead, they talk about how they think other people should work.

The most intriguing aspect of web design evolution is the manner in which it often comes about. In many instances, new trends and methods emerge as a direct result of a client requirement. It isn’t necessarily the design focussed, innovative designer; it is the person who could not design to save their life who views html code as a language for aliens.

Web designers sometimes see themselves as visionaries and it can be tempting to dismiss ideas from the simpleton who just doesn’t understand. However, in actual fact, many advances online occur as a result of initial ideas from the most unlikely sources.

So, who will force the change of the next generation of websites? Will it be a designer, a developer or just an average Joe who needs an online presence?