Regarding the emergence in the application of information technology, the wave of Web Design and Development has surged for years. It is an umbrella term for a sequence of skillsets and resources, both human and machine, to implement and operate a practical website. However, when dwelling on the difference between Web Design and Development, there are no clear boundaries, yet these two practices seem to intertwine each other throughout the process.

What Is Web Design and Development?

Briefly, Web Design and Development refer to the process of building a website from scratch. As its name implies, this procedure consists of designing a webpage and developing it into an applicable one.

In simple words, the act of web design process and web development process reflect the process of building a house. While Web Development focuses on constructing the house frame with the help of coding, Web Design determines its look and feel.

Web Design relates more to Creativity work while Web Development associates more with Computer Sciences. There is a thin line between the practice of these two terms as they overlap sometimes.

An illustration of Web Design and Development - Thumbnail

1. Is there a clear distinction between Web Design and Web Development?

Web Design may enclose different fields, from UI (User Interface) to UX (User Experience). A web designer’s job must qualify the layout structure of the website, visual aesthetics, and even the content arrangement.

In the meantime, web developers work primarily with coding or writing markups. Based on the front-end action, the system will send data to the server, where the back-end developers set up an interchangeable model to calculate and proceed to the next steps. A developer’s job must turn the design into existence and make it compatible with the database and implementation.

2. Web Designers vs Front-end Developers

However, there are three main types of developers: Front-end developers, Back-end developers, and Full-stack developers.

Front-end developers: working on the client-side, which means demonstrating how users can see and act on the products.
Back-end developers: taking responsibilities for server-side that connect and interchange between the database and browser.
Full-stack developers: who can handle and implement both sides.

Technically, a web designer will research users’ behaviors to define the on-screen layout and arrange the structure logically to map with the user’s mindset. Later on, front-end developers will base on the design to make it actionable on a webpage.

Therefore, a web designer may require a wide range of skill-set that embraces two roles: designing and developing the front-end. In some website development companies, a web designer must work on a set of tools and skills. Yet, to some website development company that requires high creative outcomes, a designer can only handle aesthetic designs and work with front-end developers to implement them in the web application. You can explore more about custom web design services in Houston learn more about it.

Five Key Strategic Elements of Web Design & Development

There are various strategic elements to develop a website that balance various factors from implementation, branding, user experience, etc. However, there are 5 essential factors to focus on when practicing custom website development.

1. Visual

Visual Design concentrates on the look and feel of a webpage. The objective of on-screen visuals is to follow the attraction of users and make them feel engaged to interact with the website. From general layout to detailed images, fonts, texts, etc., website design should consolidate important elements strategically to highlight the spots while maintaining smooth interaction flow.

Speaking of design, there are two fundamental points to take note of basic website design elements and principles. Basic elements consist of shapes, lines, color palette, texture, typography, and form. These are simply a necessary toolset to visualize a webpage. The principles give you a strategic approach to connect these elements that could illustrate an intuitive appealing design.

An effective web design does not stop at blending all artistic elements. A good visual should help deliver further content and functions in a highly impacted way. These days, there are more web designer apps to supply designers with delivering web design trends and defining approaches practically. Consequently, web design may trigger users to explore more on-site, or furthermore, remember the brand identity.

2. Content

Content is the backbone of your website. To the extent of Marketing, content provides exactly the information people want to search for to understand more about your Business and Brand. In some cases, the content might address businesses to a higher-ranking placement in search engines, which means having a good online presence. Yet, the ultimate goal of on-site content is to meet users’ expectations and turn their interest into potential leads that generate revenue for your business.

According to Harvolson, co-author of Content Strategy for the Web, content on a website should ensure the components of content and people.

Components of content consist of Structure and Substances:

A layout provides you with a structured framework for content. Thus, you can break up contents into different layers and define which should be prioritized. In terms of branding, content should focus on substances that deviate your products and services from others, which differentiate through the way you express the messages over unique tones and voices.

People components include workflow and governance:

Workflow integrates various people in different roles to supply adequate processes, tools, and resources to fulfill the content work. Meanwhile, there should be a Governance stage in assessing the content in terms of consistency, integrity, and quality.

Recommended reading: Web Design vs Web Development: Which Profession Should You Pursue?

Speaking of Web Design and Development, navigation plays an essential role in connecting relevant content, creating a seamless experience, and thus, keeping people interacting and exploring more on-site. Navigation drives people to exactly where they want to explore on your webpage without frustration.

According to the top web design agencies in this Medium article, there are various ways in which navigation can be structured. However, there are some typical types:

Horizontal text: Horizontal navigation is the typical practice of navigation. This is the menu bar on top of the website. When you visit a business website, there are common navigation texts that direct you to suitable landing pages, such as “About us”, “Our products/services”, or “Blog” pages.
Sub-Menu: Sub-menu provides a detailed keyword following each category. Therefore, it clarifies the available options and allows users to look for what they want hassle-free. Sub-menus require more rooms, therefore, it usually appears as a footer.
Vertical text: This kind of navigation is also common for websites that require a long list of expandable navigation. Its position is mostly on the left side of the page. Vertical text is very effective when users need to switch between subcategories.
Drop-down menus: Drop-down menu helps save space while still providing detailed information. When you hover to a keyword on the menu, there will be a list down featuring key sub-sections. A drop-down menu is particularly user-friendly for websites owning a huge amount of content, as it reduces a major number of clicks.
Icons, Logos, or Graphics: Clickable icons or graphics could create a more intuitive interface. The users could link the icons with the content, which simplifies the design and makes your website more interactive.

Recommended reading: 6 Best Web Design Companies and How to Choose the Right One?

4. User-friendly

According to Hubspot.com, 76% of respondents stated they rank the ease of finding information at the top of the most important factor of a website. When you aim to create custom website development, you must focus on hassle-free navigation, comprehensible content, as well as convenient functionality design. Once your website causes burdensome, users might leave, and eventually, there will be a terrible drop in your traffic.

Website user-friendly, widely known as website usability, embraces the accessibility of information and smooth manipulation throughout every action on page. To optimize website usability, the best methodology is researching to plan every step properly and testing iteratively. Some website development companies may prioritize this process to detect inconsistency and inconvenience before launching the website to market.

Utilizing some web designer apps and prototyping tools such as Figma or Adobe XD helps designers visualize the whole picture of the element arrangement on the website. Therefore, web designers can overview the flow process on the website exploring journeys to adjust or eliminate frustrating elements.

5. Intuitiveness

The easier to use your website, the longer time people will stay. The objective of intuitive design is to make people experience a natural flow on your website. An intuitive website is like a self-serving store where users visiting your website know exactly what to do themselves. A good intuitive website knows how to let users go through a series of interactions without interrupting them at any step.

Intuitiveness makes use of both UX and UI principles. On one hand, it visualizes emphasized areas (buttons, links, icons,…) to direct people to the right position. On the other hand, it allows users to feel and act on pre-arranged elements.

Another essential point when designing intuitiveness for your website is dealing with the conceptual model. There is no one size fits all intuitiveness model. However, people can use their former experience when visiting other sites. Website designers must figure out the most comprehensive model that minimizes the gap between users’ assumptions and your website’s logic.

Top 3 Vietnamese Web Design and Development Companies

The emergence of practicing digital applications in Vietnam has given wings to new IT generations. Thanks to the investment in technology pillar, Vietnam is now a dominant hub of IT outsourcing services. The following are the top three Vietnamese Web Design & Development companies.

1. Beau Agency

Based in Hanoi, Beau Agency dominates with a creative and enthusiastic team. Established in 2012, the team aims to create stunning digital experiences, as well as deliver a consistent brand experience. Their main services include:

Web Design and Development
Digital strategy
Product development
Digital experience
Branding strategy

Since 2017, this agency has shifted its focus to the domestic market. Their clients range from various fields, some are giant brands in Vietnam such as Viettel, British Council, FPT, Techcombank, etc.

2. Designveloper

Established in 2013, Designveloper is a leading website development company. Starting from scratch, this agency strives to research and develop cutting-edge technologies that meet users’ demands at the most affordable cost.

Their services vary from Web development, Mobile application, and Web Designs. The agency loads with talented teams under the leadership of software developers experts, to provide seamless project management and deliver the best outcomes, such as functional, large-scale, engaging mobile apps, responsive web designs, designing branding identity, etc.

Putting customers’ satisfaction at the heart of their work, the company has gained a big reputation in the web design and development industry. Their dominant projects are Lumin PDF (with more than 22 million users), Walrus Education, Swell and Switch Board, etc.

FURTHER READING:

1. Website Design in Vietnam: What’s in it for you?

2. 17 Web Design Tools for Different Types of Web Design Software

3. How to Choose a Web Design Company That Fit Your Business?

3. Viivue

Viivue is a Saigon-based website development company of talented web designers and developers. Despite a wide range of web design and development services, their outstanding products are associated with an eCommerce website.

The company also provides corporate branding services that are consulted by branding experts to deliver the best branding identity. Their goal goes along with a commitment to an affordable, yet beautiful website and absolute satisfaction throughout the process.

Viivue offers services for both domestic and international clients. Their remarkable clients include Hoang Yen group, VBA, Asia Beef Network, etc.

Web Design and Development: What You Need to Know Before Starting?

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What Is Web Design and Development?