Interview with Anthony Lane

Name: Anthony Lane

 

Age: 32

 

Location: Devon

 

Your Website: www.branchofdesign.co.uk

 

How long have you been designing/developing websites?

15 months

 

How do clients find you?

Word of mouth

 

Where do you go for inspiration?

I usually try to let the content & subject matter dictate the design rather than looking at galleries etc. I do always research related to sites and make a list of what works and what doesn’t, sometimes I will get inspiration from this.

 

What is your favourite CMS?

Wordpress.

 

What programs/applications do you use when designing/developing a website?

XAMPP local server setup, gedit for writing code, GIMP for graphics, Opera, Firefox, IE, Safari for site testing.

 

When starting a new project how do you start?

I speak to the client about their needs and expectations, make as detailed notes as I can, and ask as many relevant questions as I can. I then research the competition while I am waiting for the content and make a note of any other useful ideas for the project. Once I recieve the content, I start by designing the navigation, then the layout.

 

What do you feel are the most important skills for web designer/developer to have?

Communication is very important. Being able to understand your clients needs and expectations, and help them understand best practice and limitations. Strong coding skills, and a good eye for page layout. Server side scripting is very good also, depending on the brief.

 

What skills are you currently developing?

PHP & MySQL

 

Ok final question, when you’re not working what are you 5 favourite things to do?

Play music, walk my dogs, read, ride my bike, grow trees.

 

Do you have any favorite websites for keeping up to date and interacting with others?

WebDesignerForum.co.uk, Guardian Unlimited, BBC news, freecycle.

 

Are you freelance, or working for a studio?

Freelance

 

What other services do you offer? eg SEO, print design, copywriting, hosting etc

Print design, hosting.

 

If you weren’t a web designer what would your ideal job be?

Guitar teacher

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