Web developer definition – What exactly does a web developer do?

Being a professional web developer isn’t easy. At least not when clients pay you a sum (and it doesn’t matter how much) and they expect you to deliver heaven and earth.

Clients also have a great unreasonable tendency of treating you like their 24-hour standby “employee”, aka webmaster, to provide “real-time” support on their new websites.

This post is a special one … it’s for the aspiring Web Developer …. from a Web Developer (me lah).

If you’d wanted to be a Web Developer, then you’ll have to bring these messages right in between your clients ears (their brain/head) before clinching the web development job :

(Or if you’re a client, then you’ll have to understand and know these; anyway, if you happened to engage me as your web developer, you should have agreed to these terms before I’m willing to develop your site)

– Web Developer is like selling a car to client – you give them a nice vehicle (website) but they can’t expect you to be the chauffeur (webmaster); web developer is DIFFERENT from being a webmaster.

– Web Developer is like selling a car to client – they have to learn and know how to drive the car (maintain their own website); they do can engage you to drive the car for them like a chauffeur, but they will have to pay you a webmaster fee.

– Clients must provide detailed information on their business, products, services, contacts, pictures etc. after all, it’s their website and e-business. They cannot expect you (the Web Developer) to write their About Us, FAQs and decide their product pricing.

– Web Developer is like a home renovator – client must tell you what he/she like; after all, it’s their house (website). They cannot be vague ie. “I”d like a very very nice design for my website” – let them give you some sample sites what exactly do they meant by “very very nice design”. You’ll not know what’s exactly in client’s mind – and they don’t know you can’t too.

P.S. If you’re a client and outsourced your web development, do give your web developer some sample sites you’d like your site to look – that’s easier to get the ideal site you’ve always wanted.

– Web Developer is like home renovator – you might hand over the site to client 1-2 months ago but they still come back to you claiming there’s a bug or site crashed (blaming you did not do a good job); hello “client” – do you blame or call your home renovator when the light-bulb is spoilt? No, you change your own light bulb isn’t it. That’s why it’s called a HAND-OVER.

P.S. Nevertheless, most good web developer (like me) provide very extended goodwill services to help clients resolve their issues without any charge (well, depending on the issues I must said).