Working as a web design detective

“ ‘How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door, the window, or the chimney. We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room, as there is no concealment possible. When, then, did he come?’ ” — Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of the Four

Whenever I work on website projects, I find myself knee-deep in code, “sniffing” my way through pages written in one or more languages. Unlike print design, which is primarily visual (and textural sometimes, too), web design is all about the placement and configuration of elements in a written language. This language, this data, is what your computer or phone reads and then outputs as a website design.

In a sense, a web designer is like an editor…he or she performs very specific, detail-oriented work. In fact, one little missing “div” tag may cause the site not to display properly.

But what’s my opinion about this work? That’s simple…I love it. In thinking back, I’ve realized that the things I did as a young person have prepared me for the work I now do. Things such as being good at spelling, reading Sherlock Holmes novels and having an interest in machinery and physics. Yes, my job is a lot of work…but it’s fun too. That’s because web design work is detective work…it’s about finding answers and solving problems. And I enjoy that.

Sources:
http://www.bestofsherlock.com/top-10-sherlock-quotes.htm#impossible