[oli]

Im gonna have a bit of time on my hands and I wanted to learn something new to help out at work. Been thinking of finally getting to grips with flash for a while now, but maybe learning some programming would be better. What do people think ?
Is a potential employee more desirable if they can design and code ? Or design and flash ?

CSS/XHTML is another one but thats something that all webdesigners will need to know anyway so I'll take that as read.

[Mr Fred]

depends what you want to do Oli

i would employ a designer, a programmer, css/webstandards developer and a flash person.

the truly better people are only excellent at one or two things.

develop your strengths ie if you a designer concentrating on web think about print, kiosk, cdrom / dvd or look into typogaphy

i wouldn't employ someone who says they are great at everything - simply because they wouldnt be.

i worked everywhere doing everything i am now (30) and finding what i want to do and realising what i can do - i think thats the most important

sorry for prattling on.

learn typograph, colour theory / application and layout. ( not many people do know these skills)

[oli]

well at the moment I'm employed as a creative web designer so basically I work with programmers creating the front-end for sites. I was thinking more for future employment, I know a lot of jobs I see advertised these days want a jack of all trades.
Id rather stick to the creative stuff but I want to make sure I am as employable as poss.

[Brooklyn]

My "Title" here is "Snr HTML & Graphic Designer" (how pants! I wanted "Creative Developer" but that's another story)

I specialize in Graphic Design (Including print) as well as CSS/HTML/Web Standards (which covers eveything from DTD Generation to Usability and Accessibility).

I've spent some time too looking into expanding my abilities... I'm a little ropey at Flash, know a fair bit of PHP/Javascript and that's about as far as my "extra" abilities go.

I agree with Mik, If I were to employ my own staff, I'd choose specialists over "jack of all". They wanted me to be a "jack of all" here, but I had to fight hard to get my current role into a "specialism". I still have to do Project Management, Customer Services and all the other bolloxy admin stuff, but I also get to spend a majority of my time doing R&D as well as Design/Build.

Given the choice to expand my "skillset" I'd go with Programming... ASP/PHP/JSP are definately becomming more and more in demand as well as .NET and it doesn't hurt to know some of these from a designer's point of view as it gives you more confidence when having to tweak a page a developer has bastardised!

Other than that, again, as Mik said, go and fine tune your design skills. Study Colour Theory, Application Layout, Computer/User Interaction, Golden Mean, Aesthetics, CSS and Usability and become a "Specialist".

[Brooklyn]

Originally posted by japanmik css/webstandards developer

Now I've never heard it described like that before... I've always seen CSS as part of the "Design" process as well as Standards.

Originally posted by japanmik learn typograph, colour theory / application and layout. ( not many people do know these skills) [/b]

Ah ha... Typography = Text = CSS = Design! (something like that anyway!)

I studied colour theory, facinating subject, especially how colours affect peoples moods and reactions. I also studied Aesthetics and Ergonomics (the latter being of no use what so ever for the web industry!) Also did HCI and various other interaction/design bits n bobs. But yet, with all of these skills, it still takes my wife to point out the obvious to me sometimes!

[Mr Fred]

Typography = Text = CSS = Design! (something like that anyway!)

in a round about way. i think all these tools are simply that - tools

if you cant see why green is better than blue its all to no avail (graphic designer not web developer)

i can do mostly everything apart from high end programming and video. and thats only because i have never had the need too.

i am develpeing css each day and learning more and more about design culture, styling and reason.

also learning high on the list is usability and accessibility

[dan]

it still takes my wife to point out the obvious to me sometimes!

ain't that always the way...

I specialize (see what I did there ) in HTML (CSS XHTML) and Flash design and build. I have recently been looking at php, xml and mySql usage as related to the above, it's only on a basic level setting up simple dynamically generated news pages/reviews etc, but I've found the experience helped open my eyes to the possibilities and limits of what could be done. Plus I kinda like that stuff (originally had a more science based background), not that I would ever claim to be a programmer, just that I have an insight. Not really sure where I'm going with this so I guess I'll stop...



Guess you should just go with expanding your skill set in areas that you enjoy (related to what you do of course), that way you'll have more drive and determination.

[tomson]

I specialise in visual design - mainly just interactive these days with the odd bit of print. Apart from basic actionscripting and some old school lingo I do no coding at all - never needed to and never wanted to. I studied graphic design, typography, fine art, illustration, art and design history and interactive design. All I ever wanted to do was be creative.

I have to agree with JippyMick - trying to be an expert at everything more often than not results in being fairly mediocre right across the board. But for some clients - usually the smaller ones with less of a budget - the jack of all trades is sometimes more appealling. They might not be able to afford to hire a small team of staff (or need to for that matter), so the one man band becomes a necessity.
I suppose it depends ultimately on who you see as your client. If you want to, say, freelance at a big design house then specific, in-depth knowledge and experience are usually king. But, the small business in need of a simple e-commerce site and maybe some clever marketing material would probably feel more comfortable employing a 'do it all' kinda person.

(all sweeping generalisations i know, but you get the idea)

[oli]

ceratainly do , I want to stay on the creative side so I guess its flash. Maybe later Ill try and learn a bit of programming, in the past this has always ended up nowhere tho.

[tomson]

I once took on a flash job without actually knowing a great deal about flash - It was a great way of learning, if a little frustrating at times. It worked out nicely tho - and I got paid 3.5k for it

[oli]

result.
How long did it take you to get to grips with it ?

[Mr Fred]

10 years

[oli]

Lies.

[Mr Fred]

ok 2 to be really crap - i hate flash anyway but i needed to know it

my actionsripting is still uterly shite as is all my programming

[oli]

Flash 1 only came out in '96 so how have u used it for 10 years ?
I think as you get older Mik u get a little confused

[Mr Fred]

i was talking the piss - jesus

[tomson]

Originally posted by oli
result.
How long did it take you to get to grips with it ?

The job lasted just under 100 hours spread out over about 4 weeks, so I had a about a week and a half of my own time to learn what i needed to know.

[oli]

i was talking the piss - jesus

excuse me, I am re-giving up smoking.

[Mr Fred]