I've got a question for you all.

 

Do you think you can call yourself a designer, if your following a design trend?

Such as web 2.0 (man I hate that phrase!)

 

My view on the matter is that if your a designer then you don't need to follow trends, and you should design in the way that you do. However should you follow design trends, when people are buying into the trend?

 

I'm finding this all very hard to say without rambling, so I hope I haven't but I'm just interested to hear your views on the matter.

I would certainly call my self a web designer..but there's always so much to learn and experiment with, it's a constantly evolving medium. I tend to see what are hot trends of the moment and see how I can use them in my websites, not by imitating but try to be innovating when I can. This is not just for the design but also the technical layout this also includes the marketing side of things, as there's no point having a fantastic website if no one will come to it. Nowadays I think you have to bring the full package or at least have some kind of knowledge of what it takes to make a website succeed, as it's not all about design!

 

I always find too many people own a copy of Dreamweaver & Photoshop marketing them selfs as professional designers, when they have very little experience with best ways to utilise them. Which is why you see so many dodgey (meant to be professionally designed) websites out there.

 

Exactly right, I don't like web 2.0 because so many 'wanna-be' designers design in that way and then think they know everything there is to know about design.

 

I think although it's good to go your own way (design wise) you should adapt that style to whats currently popular. However I also think that good designs come about when you ignore what's currently popular, and just go for it. But then comes the problem of whether your designing for yourself, of for others. For others I guess is the answer... as their going to see it and comment on it.

I agree, heck I don't even like web2.0 much. I don't like shiny things too much, hurts my eyes. However, can you call yourself a designer because you know a little coding? What is it that is required of you in order for you to call yourself a designer?

I call myself a coder... I dislike design, but it's a requirement I need to go along with it. Unless I bring someone else on board.

 

In my opinion, "Web 2.0" isn't a design trend entirely, but more of a 'jazz' word to symbolize where we are in the state of the internet. Web 2.0 refers to a lot of things, design trends only make up a small percent of that.

As designer is a name given to someone that can use a graphic manipulation program to edit or create an image. Unfortunatly this doesn't take into consideration that because I can draw circles in Ms Paint - I'm a designer. But there you go. That's why we level these things out. We assign people levels and we also categorize them - 'experienced' web designer, 'novice' graphics designer, 'noob' interface designer etc.

 

Web 2.0 is a new breed of design (as well as other things like web interface, web applications etc) that is giving the web a new glossy, useful feel. Generally when your involved with a web 2.0 project, you feel your lightyears away from notepad and tables. and that you providing a service that enables a user to interact with the website and content much more than they ever have before. The design concept is a trend that the web is 'going through' at the moment - as with everything on the web, it'll soon disappear. And finally - regarding whether you have to follow trends or not, the short sharp sweet anwer is NO! The web is about innovation, not immitation.

 

I like design and I like to to code (although i'm more coder...). I also agree particulaliry with Ben's last statement

 

Dave

mmmmm designer coder general dogs body what ever you are if you conform to the mass market of web 2.0 (sorry for swaring on this forum) or for any trends in the www you aren't any of the above you are just a waste of web space in my view all web pages should unique and have a little design or code oh and the dogs body thrown in for good measure.

 

Cause sterile pages drive me crazy and mass produced I would even go there.

 

so web 2.0 opps I idid it again Sorry for say bad words it just slip out

 

 

That work is right up there with "we can't do that on the web"

 

 

Thats my view about w--2.0 and I am sticking to it

 

 

 

regards Andrew

I like "web 2.0", when its done properly. Other than that, I consider it myself to be a design trend and a marketing ploy, not a new way of presenting content( its principle technologies, such as AJAX arent NEW, just used differently)

 

Personally, when i design, I dont think web 2.0, I think myself, and I use lots of gradients, and shiny stuff.

 

People can say I am web 2.0-ing, but really, I just like gradients..... Me>>> <<<Gradients

 

Just imagine though, if every designer stopped 'designing' and made web 2.0 sites