This weekend I will have the pleasure and challenge of teaching web design to my 12 year old nephew who LOVES computers.  I think he will hang on to my every word.

Since this just weekend #1 and he is only 12, I have to make it meaningful to him.  I pride myself on being able to communicate at all levels, so here is my plan.

My approach to teaching web design is to view it as a three-fold endeavor.  In my mind, web design has three components

1. Business
2. Technical
3. Creativity

When you take a traditional web design course, the focus is typically on the technical component.  However the technical side only suffices if you're going to work as a Web Developer or  Web Programmer for a company.  Your main role within the company will be technical.  The company may have someone else who works the business side and yet a third person who is the creative director.

If you want to design websites for your own clients, you must understand business and creativity.

Side note to my beloved nephew:  it's OK if you can't totally grasp the business side.  We'll focus on the technical and creative components.  You will learn HTML tags, design a flash website in Wix and learn one graphic design technique.

Business

• Marketing your services
• Understanding your customer's goals
• Helping your customer reach those goals
• Serving as a consultant to your customer to point out pertinent details
• Delivering a product that meets your customer's goals
• Active follow-up

Technical

• Design

  
  
  • understand the various technologies and when to use which
  • gain knowledge of HTML and CSS
  • learn when to use sound, video and animation
    • must know the limitations of the basic formats
  • test your web design in the major web browsers
    
    • your website must display properly on the majority of the computers and devices used by your target market
  • use templates and customize them for your customer (when appropriate)
    
    • sometimes it's cheaper and easier
    • if the customer wants a truly unique design, don't use a template

• Deliver

  
  
  • know the major domain registrars and the reliable hosting companies
  • learn the basics of FTP
• offer a content management system
  • make sure your customer can reasonably update the website himself (if the customer so chooses)
• offer ongoing technical support and actually respond to requests in a timely fashion

Creativity

• understand your customer's business and present a complementary image
• choose graphics, colors, layout and symbolism that conveys the customer message
• gain knowledge of various design tools
  • in-depth knowledge of Photoshop will get you a job
  • there are other design tools besides Photoshop