I see that too.

The next step though (to keep ahead of the pack) is to learn PHP, CMS, and blogs in your web design process.

Stefan

Offshoring affects mainly larger corporate settings, small and medium sized business typically rather work with local (in country) people and firms.

Besides, with the rising middle class in China and India, I think these advantages will slowly fade.

Thanks for the answers. I will try and rephrase question four as it was the one I would most value your opinion on. “4/. As most web site builders do all the HTML and CSS (and PHP?) work for you, it will surely take the need for people with the skills to use these coding scripts out of the equation in the future?” When I said web site builders I was refering to web hosting companies that offer pre-designed templates.. hope the question is clear now…

Also apart from the sites offering pre-built web templates I read recently about a threat of design services and computer programming services been offshored to countries such as India. Please see
http://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Hot_Jobs.htm or http://www.evalueserve.com/Media-And-Reports/WhitePapers/EVSArticleonPersontoPersonOffshoring.pdf.
for the full article (in particular paragraphs 5,7 & 8)… Any thoughts anyone?

That last paragraph nailed it. And for anyone who doesn’t get it, I was able to implement some basic php after reviewing a couple of videos from http://www.killerphp.com a few months back.

Stef, you make this stuff so easy. What a great contributor to the community you are. Anyway, after more than 10 years working in a government job, I’m half a dozen projects into my leap of faith into the web developer arena. Knowing just a little php has saved me countless hours… imagine changing html/css navigation on a simple 30 page website - with php that’s only 1 text file, not 30 pages.

Good questions. Let me try to answer.

1/. I simply don’t enjoy programming like designing

I am not suggesting you become a programmer. But having PHP skills will allow you to do things like modify a CMS (Drupal for example) or make changes to Wordpress … add to it etc.

Once you know even a little PHP, things like installing PHP based applications (blogs, cms’, chats, forums) will be much easier for you.

2/. PHP could be made obsolete (or close to obsolete) in a few years like you mentioned happened to ASP.

Eventually it could. But based on my experience, this will not happen over the next 7-10 at least because one of PHP’s strengths is how nimble to community is. PHP keeps adapting.

Besides, knowing PHP will make learning another language easy.

3/. A designer who learns HTML, CSS and PHP will prob find themselves having to learn yet another new scripting language in a few years!

Again, once you understand one programming language, learning another is easy.

4/. As most web site builders do all the HTML and CSS (and PHP?) work for you, it will surely take the need for people with the skills to use these coding scripts out of the equation in the future?

I am not sure if I understand this question.

Final Comment:

I am not suggesting you should stop doing design work. I am just saying that understanding basic PHP programming will make your life easier as a web designer, and will probably open you up to new opportunities.

Stefan

I have really enjoyed your blog and am also concerned with website builders as I am a graphic designer and have designed a couple of sites and really enjoyed it. Following on from your comment “It is becoming increasingly difficult to compete in the web design arena if you are a pure designer” and you mention the need to learn PHP and other software to stay ahead of the game which is sound advice except I feel having learnt some HTML and CSS I am reluctant to learn PHP as:

1/. I simply don’t enjoy programming like designing
2/. PHP could be made obsolete (or close to obsolete) in a few years like you mentioned happened to ASP.
3/. A designer who learns HTML, CSS and PHP will prob find themselves having to learn yet another new scripting language in a few years!
4/. As most web site builders do all the HTML and CSS (and PHP?) work for you, it will surely take the need for people with the skills to use these coding scripts out of the equation in the future?

As a graphic designer I am already expected to know Photoshop, Illustator, Quark/Indesign, Flash, Fireworks and Dreamweaver! I think Im starting to answer my own question but although the blue-chips will always have there own designers, if most small business head towards the site builders for convenience and cost is there really any future in an over-saturated web design market, with the competition from web builders? Or the use in spending hours learning say, PHP only for it to be either replaced by a new scripting language or web builders doing all the PHP work for clients? PS. Sorry for sounding so negative, just half thinking of a change in career as im concerned by the threat possed by site builders or the thought of having to learn yet another software program? ;-(

The first thing you need to learn is the basics, and that means HTML and some CSS. Check out: www.how-to-build-websites.com and csstutorial.net.

Then you can look into programming. Personally I think PHP is the best way to go. Check out: killerphp.com

Stefan

I’m really new in webdesign stuff although I managed to make a static one using Frontpage. No knowledge in HTML and a very little understanding of CSS. I’m willing and want to go PHP, I just want to know about what Coldfusion is. Is it a visual PHP or is it similar? Should I go Coldfusion in lieu of PHP or should I do both?

My next project is building a php based niche social networking site in metal music. Not the run of the mill. Definitely not some myspace clone. And a whole lot lighter on load factors.