The web designer Dubai in 2023 industry is incredibly vibrant and diverse, with new tools, concepts, processes, and possibilities emerging each day. It’s easy for us to focus on what’s new or unique about today’s online world, but to stay relevant as a web designer in the ever-changing field, we need to embrace what will always remain core skills.
In 10 years these are some of the things that have remained constant:
We’re still designing for a web browser. People still seek information. We work with brand identity and storytelling With these 3 constants in mind, here are 15 skills that will help you thrive as a web designer in Dubai in the year 2022.
1. Craftsmanship
A time-honored tradition, craftsmanship is timeless and invaluable. As designers, we are storytellers, good communicators, good listeners, artists, writers, and musicians—we create for others using our imagination to bring their thoughts and ideas to life. That takes a hoard of skills.
Being well-rounded and having a variety of skills will ensure you can handle any project, even if it’s something you’ve never done before. Here is a list of various things web designers commonly do:
Of course, not everyone does everything on this list (nor should they!), but every single one of these skills will help you understand the web design process and how to communicate with your team. If you can do all of them, even better!
2. Entrepreneurialism
A large part of the success of any business lies in its leadership—in other words, you. As a sole proprietor or one member of a small team, it’s up to you to be the visionary.
It’s not easy starting out as a freelancer or small business; there are lots of unknowns, constantly changing requirements, and always room for improvement. But if you can learn how to manage your time (see #7) and constantly strive towards better results (by practicing #3), you’ll do well.
3. Continuous learning
In a fast-paced industry like web design, the only way to stay relevant is through constant learning and improvement. In fact, Paul Graham—a man many have called a genius—has said that “the best way to become valuable [as a programmer] is to teach what you know.”
As a web designer Dubai in 2023, you should constantly surround yourself with other passionate people who are eager to better themselves. Attend conferences, read books and blogs, ask your friends for advice—create a solid network of peers you can rely on.
4. Teamwork
Even though this article is about individual skills, the ability to work collaboratively will set apart average designers from great ones.
Many projects involve multiple people from your client’s internal teams to their customers and other stakeholders—and as a web professional, you need to be able to communicate and collaborate with all of them efficiently.
5. Business acumen
Successful freelancers and small businesses know how to market themselves and manage the financial aspects of their businesses.
6. Empathy
As a web designer in Dubai in 2023, empathy is one of the most important skills you can have. You can’t be a designer if you don’t understand people.
It’s not enough to know how to design and code things, as those are only tools for helping you achieve your goal of solving a problem for someone else. Great designers know that creating something is easy; the hard part is understanding what the user needs and how to communicate that in a way that resonates with them.
7. Time management
In the words of author Laura Vanderkam, “time is free, but it’s priceless.” You can’t buy more time; you either manage what you have better or your competition will.
Creating great work takes time; sometimes weeks, sometimes months, sometimes even years. How you manage your time will define what you—and your business—can produce.
8. Business savvy
Inexperienced developers often make the mistake of thinking that “real” developers don’t need to know anything about business.
9. A service mentality
If you think about it, web designing in Dubai isn’t all that different than any other service. Your clients hire you to provide value, and it’s your job to help them achieve that goal.
10. Design chops
It’s nice that you know how to wireframe and build a functioning website, but can you make it pretty? Potentially not; you might be able to win the job through price or the strength of your portfolio.
11. Communication skills
When it comes to communication, the only thing between you and getting what you want is knowing what language to use.
The ability to communicate effectively—both in person and online—can open doors that would otherwise remain closed; people who are bad at communicating tend to be avoided.
12. Networking and referral building
The best and easiest way to find new work is through people you already know. It’s far easier for a friend of yours—especially someone with whom you’ve had success before—to recommend your services than it is for them to try and figure out how good you are on their own.
13. Mentorship
A mentor doesn’t have to be an expert on the topic; she just needs to care about your success and be willing to share some of her wisdom with you. I’ve always imagined that my mentors are giving me $10 bills, which I can redeem any time I need a fresh perspective or a bit of encouragement.
14. An eye for design
It might seem obvious, but good design is everywhere—and most consumers can spot it from a mile away.
Over time, you’ll develop an instinct for what works and what doesn’t; that’s because your brain is constantly looking at and analyzing everything around you.
15. Project management skills
Even if you work mostly alone, at some point someone will have to play project manager and keep things from going off the rails. If you manage to get a degree in project management, use it; if not, look for ways to learn more about the process and make sure everyone is on the same page at all times.
