Last Thursday, we had our monthly Converse event. Converse is an opportunity for lovers of design to come talk casually about a specific topic. This month’s topic was “I love print, but I need to do websites too!”

In case you missed it, here is a little bit of what was discussed that night:

• Web design and web development are two different things.
• Don’t try to become a developer. It is a completely different set of skills. Would you ask a developer to design a brochure or logo?
• Do understand that you are designing for something interactive, its not static like print. Otherwise, the process is all the same.
• Find a good developer to partner with on projects. You might be able to find them at CMS conferences. You need someone who you can have good communication and respect for a good working relationship.
• Bring your developer early into the process. Ask them what kind of design files they prefer and bring them into client discussions to talk about functionality and design.
• Don’t take a job that wants the “everything” type designer. That type of employer does not have realistic expectations or an understanding of the web design process
• It is necessary to educate the client about all of the planning needed to design a website well

And here are some possible resources to consider:

• A List Apart
• A Book Apart Series
• Missing Manual Series
• Code Academy
• Bmore Awesome
• Aquent Summer of Learning (registration is closed for this however)
• Lynda.com
• Adobe Muse: some developers feel this is better for prototyping sites
• WordPress: some developers feel this is better for blogs and not commercial sites

Thank you to b.Creative for sharing their space and their wealth of knowledge with us!

Converse is our roundtable event regularly occurring on the third Thursday of each month. Each event focuses on a different topic for discussion. Email converse@baltimore.aiga.org if you have any questions or if you would like to suggest a topic for a future Converse night.