|
Home > Archive > Certified Internet Webmaster - CIW > April 2002 > You are a "Site Designer"?----- Are You Sure??
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
| Author |
You are a "Site Designer"?----- Are You Sure??
|
|
| examiner 2002-04-26, 4:12 am |
| I must admit that I do not believe in the "integrity" of all certifications, especially the "CIW Site Designer Professional" certification.
Why? It is possible that a certification holder scores high (without resorting to any braindumps, cheat-sheets, or whatsover dishonest means) and still highly incompetent in designing effective and highly visually appealing websites.
I wonder (an honest remark, please do not take offense) how many Site Designer certification holders are truly capable of high quality work. If not, they are only kidding themselves that they are fit to be called site designers. Such people are no better than those who just memorize answers from braindumps. In both cases, they get certified but do not produce good work and they give the certification a very bad name. That is why I meant in an earlier post about being a responsible certification holder---must be able to produce good quality work... or at least produce something of decent quality.
I have also seen professional web designer sites whereby the design of the site really suck and visitors have passed rather harsh remarks in the guest books.----Example remark: "Call yourself a web designer? My thirteen year old kid can easily produce better web pages!"
Also, I've been looking at the profiles of the members of this forum. Expect to see those who are holding "Site Designer" certification to have home page to showcase their work. Unfortunately this is not the case.
"Is Site Designer certification a joke?"---Think about it.
Please give your comments. Thanks. | |
| Hacker 2002-04-26, 5:31 am |
| I think that it does not refer to the *creative* aspects of the site, but includes usability, navigational, tools and ecommerce stuff and more at the conceptual level. | |
| examiner 2002-04-26, 5:56 am |
| The boss says, "Okay, eliminate the defects which you have identified".
The certificate holder thinks: "Gosh! The Prosoft books don't show how exactly to do that. I am in a fix!!"
Yeah!! Not uncommon. | |
| Hacker 2002-04-26, 8:58 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by examiner
The boss says, "Okay, eliminate the defects which you have identified".
The certificate holder thinks: "Gosh! The Prosoft books don't show how exactly to do that. I am in a fix!!"
Yeah!! Not uncommon.
Depends on what the person was hired to do and what the person claims he can do at the interview. No boss would expect a person to know everything, it's like asking a salesman to be an engineer and know how to sell at the same time. | |
| Drummer 2002-04-26, 9:04 am |
| Why so bitter? No one said that the cert was a guarantee that you are a great web designer. Just that you have basic knowledge of design concepts and are familiar with programs like Dreamweaver, Flash, and Paint Shop Pro. The rest is up to you and your portfolio. I always tell my students to download evaluation copies of the software and play around with it until the 30 days runs out.
CIW certs are great to add to the resume but it's not the be all end all. | |
| examiner 2002-04-26, 10:39 am |
| I believe that living up to what oneself proclaims to be is a necessity as not to do so would be deceiving ownself and others.
Whether you are a doctor, nurse, artist, dancer, etc..., I think this applies. It is a question of RESPONSIBILITY.
Imagine a doctor hanging certificates all over his clinic when most of the time he is only capable of "prescribing" placebos to his patients...
(People wonder: "Where did this guy get his medical education??" Thus bringing a negative image to that medical institution).
Imagine a teacher after years of teaching is still giving students a hard time understanding even average stuff...
(People wonder: "How come this school keeps this kind of teacher who cannot teach properly even after a number of years".)
Imagine a web designer who has a CIW Site Designer certificate who produces web pages that look so bad that "invites" harsh remarks in his guestbook and projecting a "lousy" image of his company.
(Visitors to the website wonder: "What sort of design is this?! My teenage son can produce something that looks more decent than this easily. What "CIW" certificate is this?)---Thus projecting "CIW is a joke" image. Don't you think this is possible?
So that is why I think we all need to do some self-evaluation, not just doing nothing but kidding ourselves with certificates. Competence comes with effort in trying to be competent and it is a responsibility in all trades/occupations.
How many of CIW Site Designer Professionals are capable of producing good work? Or how many of them are putting serious effort to produce good work? How many Site Designers have their own home page showcasing decent work? All these---something to think about.
Can any Site Designer here give his URL now to show his/her work? Or is there no one?? If none can show, this a really a "serious" situation. I suspect this is the situation at this moment, although I hope not. | |
| Hacker 2002-04-26, 6:09 pm |
| The analogy is not correct. The Site Designer *DOES NOT* claim to churn out creativity in people. You can be a doctor and still be a lousy one, or a good one.
The job scope of the Designer Series is clearly stated in the course outline, and nowhere does it state that it will inspire students.
If you know the people here, you will know that many are qualified and sucessful. | |
|
| quote:
Originally posted by examiner
Also, I've been looking at the profiles of the members of this forum. Expect to see those who are holding "Site Designer" certification to have home page to showcase their work. Unfortunately this is not the case.Please give your comments. Thanks.
I agree with the general tenor of your comments - the test doesn't say anything about your design skills or... er... your design taste. ;-) It *tries* - I assume that's what all the usability study questions are designed to address. But I suspect that issues of taste can never be addressed by a multiple choice exam...
On the other hand, I can't really see anyone using the certification alone as evidence of design skills - surely someone would ask to see a portfolio, as well? What the exam *might* tell you is that, in addition to a portfolio of aesthetically pleasing, well-designed websites, the person has also undertaken some small amount of formal study and presumably has some commitment to keeping their skills current, professionalising the industry, etc.
All this aside, there are other reasons someone may not post a URL in their profile to showcase their design skills... I don't think my web design taste is all *that* bad... ;-P But I'm also not interested in posting the URL of the place I work, only, for example, to see that place get flamed if I make an... unwise comment on a message board... ;-P And I would generally rather people not be able to work out who I am in real life from information I post on a message board...
This doesn't prevent me, of course, from developing a website I can use just for purposes of linking to my message board profiles but, since I'm not trying to solicit clients here, it hasn't been a high priority... ;-) | |
| examiner 2002-04-26, 6:57 pm |
| Well, thanks for your comments, guys...
There is always need to do a decent job regardless of whatever line which one is in. To a certificate holder, apart from doing a decent job so as not to project a negative image...--- I see it something like a University graduate being expected to be able to write simple, plain English.
A name is not just a name. When one uses a name (ie.title), it comes with certain expectations and meeting at least the "minimum" cannot be ignored. Meeting that requirement is a kind of responsibility to oneself, his/her company, and to the certification, too.
Just sharing my thoughts. Keep your comments coming. Thanks. | |
| Hacker 2002-04-27, 10:44 pm |
| I mentioned *creative* because the aspect of creating "highly, visually appealing websites" are not taught at the CIW courses.
Overall, I would agree with you on most points, but most of the members here would not even consider putting their stuff for showcase and if would be not representative to look at a few and make a conclusion. |
|
|
|
|