by Zachary Katkin

Created on: July 08, 2008   Last Updated: May 26, 2012

• Web Development VS Web Design A Company Perspective

Web design and web development are two completely different beasts. Even in the web development industry (see I said web development) the definitions are hotly contested. And, in truth, it depends on what angle you are looking at the difference from, or who is asking the question.

This morning I had to explain just this thing. From a complete business perspective, IE a web development company from a web design company, web development is bigger. That's all really, it's just bigger. Web design usually refers to the creation of small-scale brochure type websites. Now-a-days everyone's younger brother or cousin can create or build a website. And this is web design. "Web design" companies, in my opinion, are those companies that specialize in brochure websites.

In the industry, brochure websites are usually those websites with a small amount of time spent on planning, design, marketability, and, although seemingly trivial have a small amount of pages.

Web development on the other hand, incorporates some elements of web design, but to a larger degree. Web development refers to the complete process of the web and the Internet when it has to do with a business or venture online. Web development will usually involve planning, testing, wireframes (very simple mockups of the layout of a site), screen designs (image files, usually created with photoshop or other graphics software that show a client or business what a website will look like when completed), programming, and care and attention paid to marketing and the site's marketability.

From this perspective web design is simple, quick, usually inexpensive, but often ineffective. Not because the web or Internet marketing is flawed, but because the approach is just different, and doesn't take into account the ultimate goals of the idea or venture. Web development on the other hand refers to the whole package of building something successful online, particularly when it comes to programming and marketability.

• Web Development VS Web Design An Employees Perspective

Now, taken in another light, the question of what is the difference between web development versus web design takes on a new hue, but one who's answer mirrors the more general answer of the difference between the two when it comes to business.

Web design refers to the physical act of creating the design elements of a website. As I mentioned before both web design and web development include

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