On the Internet, five years seem like a lifetime. Everything from trends to design solutions can and have changed. This being the case, one can hardly expect to keep up with these ever-changing fields, particularly if neither is your main occupation.
In web design there are bespoke web design and template solutions. Template solutions are generic web designs that are developed by an individual or company who's decided to give away or sell their designs to the masses. Such designs require a generic appearance, and often lack a unique approach. A template design is often a poor fit for the website that uses it. On the other hand, bespoke solutions are custom made website designs that are designed by an individual or company for one single person or business. Bespoke solutions cater to specific needs. Ready-made templates for open source content management can be easily downloaded. These template designs are also called "boilerplate" solutions. They fill the gap for programmers who don't know how to design. Additionally, some web designers depend upon a company's ignorance and choose to use boilerplate solutions. As such, they leave a company at the mercy of a web design that may not provide the user experience the company desires. The client's misplaced trust comes at a high price to the effectiveness of the client's website. Bespoke website design tends to be pricier than boilerplate, but its quality shows in a site that is designed for the individual client's needs and is completely customizable to the client's requests.
Ready-made templates for open source content management can be easily downloaded. These template designs are also called "boilerplate" solutions. They fill the gap for programmers who don't know how to design. Additionally, some web designers depend upon a company's ignorance and choose to use boilerplate solutions. As such, they leave a company at the mercy of a web design that may not provide the user experience the company desires. The client's misplaced trust comes at a high price to the effectiveness of the client's website.
Bespoke website design tends to be pricier than boilerplate, but its quality shows in a site that is designed for the individual client's needs and is completely customizable to the client's requests.
Remon van de Kamp (Netherlands, Lynth)
Evangelos Evangelou (PricklyPear Media, Cyprus)