UK Website Development

Website development is often confused with website design. The definitions of each are unclear. Even some web developers and web designers would disagree with the definitions.

I have attempted to provide an explanation of the differences between design and development below.

Please bear in mind that this is only an opinion as opposed to a fact. If you ask another web developer you may get a different opinion.

UK Website Development

In the UK website development is often assumed to be the full process of creating a website. This may include everything from finding a domain name to the launch of the website and everything in between.

It would could also include project management, graphic design, custom coding, search engine optimisation and researching and writing the content.

Website Design

In the UK Website design is generally assumed to be the actual graphical design and website layout process. It may also include the sourcing of suitable photographic images for a website.

In other words the design aspects are more related to the aesthetics and layout as opposed to the functionality.

Website Development in the Trade

In the trade website development is recognised as the process of developing and custom coding websites, functions and features.

For example, major websites created by large website development and design companies for blue chip clients may involve custom coding a new ecommerce website. This may need to be developed from the ground up by a skilled web developer.

Small websites (like the brochure websites we design her in the UK) require website design skills as opposed to website development. No major scripting or coding is required in these and we often integrate ready made scripts to increase the speed of development and decrease the costs.

In the UK web design firms may charge many thousands of pounds for developing an Ecommerce website from the ground up. Using ready made components could reduce this to less than £1000 in some cases. We had an enquiry from a person who had been quoted £35,000 from a web design firm for a website we offered for £1200.