Why Do I Love Web Development So Much?
October 30th, 2008 by ValI graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1999 with my B.S. in Business Administration. I’m still a young guy and that doesn’t sound like so long ago, but consider the following. Windows 98 was the newest OS for PC’s and Netscape was the dominant browser. Things we take for granted today like WiFi and iPods were years away and it was entirely normal not to have a cell phone. Google.com had just been registered the previous semester and Napster debuted that summer. There was no YouTube or Wikipedia or “blogging” for that matter (it was still called a weblog, but not a lot of people knew that then either). The web was no more than 10% of its current size, so becoming a developer didn’t exactly jump out at me as a career choice. Sure, I had been using computers most of my life and I was even installing corporate networks during summer “vacation”, but while I had a serious premonition that soon I’d be doing a lot with the web, it wasn’t at all clear to me how exactly that would come about; I was on the management track, not computer science.
Well, web development did just that and jumped right out at me when I met Walter Hardy, President and founder of W. Hardy Interactive, who was building a new edition of a website, the content of which I was responsible for as bookkeeper at the local chamber of commerce. Although W. Hardy was fully staffed with designers and programmers, they were very busy and he gave me an open-ended opportunity in coming on board as Project Manger. HTML, Javascript, ColdFusion and the like were new to me then, but I caught on quickly and found myself rather suited for developing websites and web-based softwares. I was already a pro with Windows servers, so building them and hosting with them was a natural extension. Photoshop had changed very little since I used it for award-winning high school graphic arts projects. I was also experienced with MS Access databases, which was at the time W. Hardy’s platform of choice. …did I mention this was a while ago now?
What really surprised me was how all the pursuits that I didn’t necessarily think would apply contributed greatly to my success as a web developer. I had started college as an English major and opted early on for more lucrative prospects, but now there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t write copy. My parents had effectively convinced me that making art was not a career, but here I was doing it every day. I had been very curious at one point about psychology and quickly learned that being able to get into people’s heads was integral. Philosophy turned out to be the key to writing good code. Of course, all my business background was relevant because understanding what’s best for the client is paramount.
A good website doesn’t just have a flashy design, quality content, useful software components, top search engine placement, scalable code, high traffic levels, effective branding or a sophisticated hosting platform - it needs to have all of those and then some. The key staff members at a small web development firm need to wear every hat that fits and wear them well. That’s why I truly love my job (and why I’m good at it) - it’s multi-disciplinary. I’m never bored and I get to work closely with clients of all sizes and from every industry, which is a lot like having a new “job” for every project. If you wish you had this kind of enthusiasm working for your business - and you definitely should - please get in touch.
November 14th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Hey Val, love reading your blogs!