Design vs. Development: What’s the Difference?

There is a vast difference between web design and web development. Understanding this difference is a matter of asking yourself one question:

Would you rather put a picture of a chair in your living room, or have a real chair to sit in?

Unless you’re a fan of spending money on useless or non-functional goods, you’d clearly rather sit in an actual chair. This is the difference between design and development.

Design is the act of planning and fashioning artistically. Design prepares a preliminary sketch of the form and function of something. In the web world, design implies just the “pretty parts” of a website: how a site looks and feels.

Development, on the other hand, is making that design functional. An artist may be able to create a painting of a car, but couldn’t change a car’s oil. A developer will work within the design framework of a website and actually create the functional elements–such as an online shopping cart, calendar or messaging system.

When evaluating a web design company, it is important to note this difference and find out if they have the developers on staff to accomplish your business goals.

An attractively designed website that appeals to aesthetic sensibilities is great. A functional website that helps you sell your product is better.