Grumpy Designer - Digital Marketing Journals Hong Kong

3Jan

By Eric KarkovackNo Comments

artificial intelligence, building website, creating a website, google web designer, Grumpy Designer, internet design, responsive web design, social media, web design, web design company, web designer, web page design, website builder, website design

The Grumpy Designer’s Guide to 2024

Are you curious about the future? Do you wonder how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact web design? Or if you’ll ever get that elusive Bluesky invite? You’ve come to the right place, my friends. It’s time for my annual look at the year ahead. This satirical report is chock-full of useless facts and mindless predictions. That makes it just as good as any year-ahead article on the internet. How do I do it? Like most internet companies, I use a proprietary algorithm. I prefer to keep it a secret. But it involves looking at the past and employing an overactive imagination. It can be yours for a small fee, by the way. So, what does 2024 have in store for us? Here are some things that absolutely will (or probably won’t) happen.The Web Designer's Toolbox Unlimited Downloads: HTML & Boots...

The Grumpy Designer Ponders What It Means To ‘Learn’ AI

20Oct

By Eric KarkovackNo Comments

artificial intelligence, building website, creating a website, google web designer, Grumpy Designer, internet design, web design, web design company, web designer, web page design, website builder, website design

The Grumpy Designer Ponders What It Means To ‘Learn’ AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is just starting to impact society. But that hasn’t stopped people from making bold proclamations. I’m particularly fond of the Doomsday scenarios. You know, the very darkest of sci-fi fantasies. The possibility of working for a machine sounds modern. I wonder how well it pays? Then there’s the idea that we must “learn” AI. The term “prompt engineer” has been thrown around. This one sounds perfect for a grumpy designer! It also seems like a job with a short shelf life. We used to write code to direct a computer. But now we tell it what to do. It’s less work for more money. Who wouldn’t want this job? But seriously. What should web designers learn about AI? Do we need to learn anything at all? I have a few unscientific ideas. Just take them with a grain of salt....

The Grumpy Designer Asks: Are You Tired?

8Nov

By Eric KarkovackNo Comments

building website, creating a website, Design Clients, Freelance Business, Freelance Career, Freelance Clients, Freelance Design, google web designer, Grumpy Designer, internet design, web design, web design company, web designer, web page design, website builder, website design

The Grumpy Designer Asks: Are You Tired?

Before we get too far, let me state that this isn’t a “woe is me” post. I may be grumpy, but I also know how to count my blessings. And I’ve been fortunate in numerous ways. It’s just that… I’m tired. You see, after 25+ years in this industry, I’ve come to realize that this job doesn’t get any easier. If anything, more layers of complexity keep being added. And the expectations from both clients and myself are higher than ever. Then there’s the unhealthy mix of a constant stream of emails, Slack notifications, and tweets. Taken together, it’s enough to wear you out mentally and physically. Surveying the web design community helped me to see that I’m not alone in this feeling. But it’s not only work-related stressors. There’s been a pandemic in our faces for years now. And each of us has st...

The Grumpy Designer’s Cure for Massive Expectations

18Aug

By Eric KarkovackNo Comments

building website, creating a website, Design Clients, Freelance Clients, Freelance Design, google web designer, Grumpy Designer, internet design, Learn Web Design, responsive web design, web design, web design company, web designer, web page design, website builder, website design

The Grumpy Designer’s Cure for Massive Expectations

Ever since the beginning of time (or the mid-1990s), much has been expected of web designers. In those early days, we were not only focused on learning HTML, but mastering graphic design as well. There weren’t a lot of official learning paths. Thus, our skills were often developed on the job. What’s changed? Well, we still need to know HTML and graphics. Oh, along with CSS, JavaScript, MySQL, PHP, responsive design, accessibility best practices and how a Tesla works. If there’s time left over, it might also be useful to know SEO and social media, too. As if that weren’t enough, there’s the whole issue of dealing with clients. We’re expected to soothe the panicky ones, teach the technophobes and resolve issues surrounding design politics. It seems we’re stuck in a dimension somewhere betwee...