A Day in the Life of a Web Developer
With websites proliferating all over the Internet, web developers are in high demand, especially for businesses whose main source of revenue is derived from online sales. Traditional businesses that want to increase or update their web presence may also find themselves hiring a web development service at some point.
What Does a Web Developer Do?
Understanding the process of developing a website is an important part of understanding how a web developer’s job works. In turn, that is an important part of figuring out their daily job – although many web developers will tell you that, thanks to the intricacies of modern technology, there is no such thing as an average day.
If the web developer is part of a team that works for a large company, his or her job will be more sharply defined. It consists largely of the technical aspects of building a website – writing the site’s code (another term for using a computer programming language to communicate with the computer or another program) or using software that is specially designed for creating websites. Of course, meetings, reports, or other forms of communication are involved so that the developer can get a sense of what the client’s needs are. There is also a good amount of planning to maximize the effectiveness, security, and stability of the website.
If the web developer is self-employed or works in a smaller setting, the job description stretches to include things like testing, website architecture, and aesthetic design. It can also include being a webmaster – a person who maintains the site after it is online.
Filling Up an Average Day
The following activities make up an average day for a web developer, but they may occur in different proportions for different individuals. For example, one developer may spend all day writing the programming code; another may go to meetings, analyze reports, and assist other team members; a third might do all three. For our purposes, our web developer works for a small company and must be both developer and designer of the site.
- Communications. This occurs both within the company (or department, or team) and with the clients (or upper management, or other departments). Communications take the form of reading and replying to emails, analyzing reports, attending meetings and phone conferences, answering voice mails, and having face-to-face discussions. This part of web development might be unseen, but its importance cannot be overemphasized. After all, without a clear understanding of the goal of the website, a lot of work will be wasted.
- Working on the Site. This includes planning the design of the site, both in terms of how the pages will be organized and how they will look. Content – words, pictures, animations, and videos – is approved. The site is created and extensively tested. Each link, or pathway from page to page, needs to work properly. The site must also be as secure as possible. At this point, revisions are made and problems are fixed. When it is working perfectly (or as close to perfectly as possible), the site will go online. Once it is online, it becomes the responsibility of the webmaster.
- Teaching. If the web development team uses in-house manuals specific to their business or has their own software, part of a senior web developer’s job may be training others or helping them overcome any difficulties in their assignments. This is another aspect that may not be apparent, but it is very important.
This is only the briefest outline of the job functions of a web developer, but it is easy to see that this job requires a person who is organized and skillful.
Schools offering Programming and Web Development training:
New England Institute of Technology
Associate, Bachelor, Master
Associate in Science in Video and Audio Production, Bachelor of Science in Digital Recording Arts Technology, Bachelor of Science in Game Development & Simulation Programming , Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Associate in Science in Information Technology, ..
Rhode Island
Bachelor, Associate, Master, Certificate, Diploma
BS in Information Technology/Web Development, AAS in Information Technology/Web Development, MS in Information Technology - Project Management, BS in Information Technology - Project Management, MS in Information Technology/Information Security and Assurance, ..
Online School, Iowa, Nebraska, Maine, Maryland
Associate, Bachelor, Master, Certificate
Video Game Design, AS, Information Technology, AS, Information Technology Management, BS, Computer Programming, AS, Computer Aided Drafting, AS, ..
Florida
Associate, Diploma, Certificate, Bachelor
Associate of Applied Science in Architectural Design & Drafting Technology, Diploma in Computer Software Applications, Diploma in Computer Aided Design and Drafting Technician, Associate of Applied Science in Computer Aided Design and Drafting Technology, Diploma in Paralegal Assistant, ..
Kansas, Ohio, Missouri, Idaho, Indiana, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Oklahoma, Illinois, New Mexico, Texas
Diploma
Help Desk Analyst, Computer Programmer, Microsoft Office Specialist, Programmer Analyst/Internet Solutions Developer, Programmer Analyst/Web Developer, ..
British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, Ontario
