As an emerging web architect, you find yourself in the process of crafting your portfolio and seeking methods to allure clientele and opportunities. You seek web design initiatives that will furnish you (and other budding web architects) with the experiential knowledge necessary to fabricate responsive and user-centric websites and web applications.
Crafting initiative concepts ought not only to enhance your aptitude as a web architect but also to augment your prowess as a programmer. Beyond mere website design, your endeavors encompass aiding brands in the creation of applications and online utilities that enhance the user experience
This article delineates the prerequisites for accomplishing web design initiatives, strategies for acquiring them, and eight website initiative concepts that will refine your abilities and enrich your portfolio.
8 web design projects for beginners
- Formulate a landing page utilizing HTML and CSS
- Fashion a practical, interactive weblog
- Erect a login authentication system
- Employ HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and UX design to conceive a task roster
- Forge a semblance of the Amazon homepage
- Establish a corporate portfolio website
- Develop a functional computing tool
- Introduce an internet meme generator endeavor
These web design initiatives will furnish you with a deeper comprehension of the aforementioned programming languages. They will also empower you to master the proficiencies requisite for excelling as a web architect. With progression, you'll adeptly oversee initiatives and refine client correspondence, akin to the web development enterprise, DotSee. Explore further in the case study.
1 Formulate a landing page utilizing HTML and CSS
Landing pages facilitate businesses in achieving their website conversion objectives. Consequently, there exists a substantial demand for landing page designs, underscoring the importance of honing your expertise in landing page design and optimization.
Numerous landing page construction tools abound. However, acquainting yourself with crafting a landing page from the ground up using HTML and CSS will facilitate seamless customization of whatever landing page builder or website hosting platform your clientele employs.
Numerous online tutorials elucidate the process of crafting landing pages. Here's one from The Free Code Camp that delineates the procedure comprehensively. Additionally, you can draw inspiration for your landing page design endeavor from Behance. Experiment with diverse designs to refine your proficiency in landing page design.
2. Fashion a practical, interactive weblog
Blog entries constitute the second most efficacious content format for content marketing teams. While enhancing content quality remains paramount, there exists a requisite for user-friendly blog pages that render valuable blog content readily accessible to readers.
Hence, prioritize enhancing your blog design competencies. Your weblog web design initiative ought to concentrate on fabricating a blog page conducive to the addition and modification of new blog entries. Users should seamlessly peruse other blog posts published on the platform.
3. Erect a login authentication system
Login authentication encompasses five principal methodologies:
Password authentication: Predominantly encountered on login pages.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Mandates the utilization of two or more independent authentication methods. Authentication app-generated codes and Captcha tests represent popular MFA modalities.
Certificate-based authentication: Leverages digital certificates for user authentication.
Biometric authentication: Relies on unique biological traits for login.
Employing identity and user management API services such as Okta simplifies the construction of a login authentication system.
Data privacy assumes paramount significance in crafting login authenticators. Thus, leverage these web design initiatives to cultivate expertise in safeguarding user data whilst devising an optimal user login journey.
4. Employ HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and UX design to conceive a task roster
A task roster application facilitates mastery of four fundamental user experience facets — creation, perusal, editing, and deletion — and enhances your web development proficiencies.
Dribbble showcases exemplary task roster application designs for inspiration. Bear in mind that functionality holds equal importance to aesthetics. Here are pointers to aid in the creation of a functional task roster application:
- Facilitate task accomplishment pathways.
- Enable facile task completion, comments, and task field addition.
- Adopt straightforward keyword formulations.
- Incorporate subtasks and/or checklists.
Refer to Tyler Potts' instructional video for a comprehensive primer on leveraging programming languages and UX skills in crafting a task roster.
5. Forge a semblance of the Amazon homepage
Emulating the Amazon homepage fosters mastery of crafting coveted elements of an e-commerce website — expedited ordering, personalized recommendations, and advanced search filters. It's a project conducive to honing the art of building an e-commerce website from scratch.
HTML and CSS constitute indispensable tools for this web design project. Extensive coding endeavors encompass both front and back ends, necessitating significant time investment. However, the resultant skill acquisition renders you adept at attracting new clients consistently.
AccioJob offers a beginner-friendly tutorial elucidating the utilization of HTML and CSS to fashion an Amazon-esque page.
6. Establish a corporate portfolio website
Embark on crafting a corporate portfolio website for your web design venture. Assuming the role of a business owner affords insights into your clients' experiences and underscores the value you offer.
Here's a four-step blueprint for constructing a portfolio website from scratch:
Acquire a domain name and explore domain privacy protection options.
Leverage GitHub Pages to construct the website utilizing HTML and CSS. Alternatively, employ Heroku for hosting purposes with a backend server and PHP integration. Proficiency in both approaches cultivates mastery in full-stack development. Alternatively, adopt a website builder such as WordPress as a foundation and customize it with coding to suit your requirements. An AI-powered website builder expedites the process.
Deploy your website using the code you've crafted.
Ensure that the portfolio design aligns with your brand identity.
7. Develop a functional computing tool
Web calculators cater to diverse needs ranging from basic arithmetic to pricing computations and financial projections. Crafting a web calculator cultivates proficiency in coding mathematical algorithms without compromising design and UX considerations.
Dribbble showcases 46 web calculator design exemplars for inspiration. Examples encompass mortgage calculations, fundamental arithmetic computations, weight-loss progress tracking, and assorted other calculations. These examples underscore the versatility in crafting functional calculators tailored to your brand's value proposition.
Milan Opsenica's calculator stands as a testament to the potential impact of calculators. This fictional Cruncher app calculator aids users in computing their ideal macronutrient ratio based on gender, weight objectives, age, height, current weight, and activity level.
8. Launch an internet meme generator project
A meme generator project affords an avenue for refining your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript proficiencies. The project entails crafting an application enabling users to upload images, insert text onto images, and export completed files. These tasks constitute foundational elements of numerous apps and web programs, underlining their significance.
Numerous tutorials abound to aid in your internet meme generator project. Prominent options include DCode and Code With Ahsan.
Bonus: Programming language pointers for novice web designers
HTML:
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) serves as the cornerstone of all websites, dictating website structure. Search engines prioritize HTML, rendering proficiency in HTML imperative for crafting visible websites.
Tips for honing HTML proficiency:
Enroll in courses offering practical HTML learning opportunities, such as The Web Developer Bootcamp 2022.
Participate in HTML Bootcamps, such as those offered by Berkeley.
Pursue HTML certification, such as CanCanIt's HTML5 certification.
CSS:
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) enhances webpage aesthetics and design, working in tandem with HTML to imbue websites with color, background, layout, font, and other design elements.
Tips for refining CSS proficiency:
- Engage with online CSS games to master diverse CSS aspects.
- Access free beginner courses on platforms like YouTube.
- Pursue a Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification in HTML and CSS
JavaScript:
JavaScript, a ubiquitous programming language, underpins website content, games, apps, and software. Emphasizing front-end development, JavaScript boasts platform independence.
Tips for enhancing JavaScript proficiency:
Leverage YouTube tutorials from esteemed brands such as Programming With Mosh and Free Code Camp.
Pursue MTA JavaScript certification.
Attend JavaScript Bootcamps, given the language's popularity.
User Interface/Experience Design (UI/UX Design)
UI design encompasses visual elements encountered while navigating websites, apps, or electronic devices. UX design adopts a holistic approach, analyzing customer experiences with digital products comprehensively.
Tips for mastering UI/UX design:
- Partake in interactive courses assessing design aptitude, such as Uxcel's UX design course.
- Familiarize yourself with leading UI design tools.
- Learn from prominent UX experts via social media channels.
- Efficiently craft responsive designs accommodating varied screen sizes, platforms, and orientations.
Visual Design:
Engaging web designs are underpinned by UI and visual design techniques, including color psychology, spacing, typography, and type hierarchy.
- Tips for refining visual design proficiency:
- Grasp Gestalt Psychology's implications for design.
- Explore emotional marketing principles.
Undertake design challenges by conceptualizing prompts for fictional companies.
Organize web design endeavors with finddesign.co
Managing multiple Freelancer and agency can prove arduous and time-consuming.
