Web Design vs. Web Development

You may have noticed that the phrases "website design" and "website development" seem to be used interchangably throughout Brainwrap.com. There are many areas where the two overlap, but there are also several differences. While both obviously involve a large degree of technical skill, website development generally refers to the purely technical end of things--coding, databases, submission forms, and so on, while website design generally refers to the graphical and/or layout end of things.

Naturally, as in most professions, there is a constant debate between form and function, or "look & feel" versus "usability". Technically speaking, a website consiting of nothing but pure, plain text would be the ultimate in "simplicity" and "cleanliness"...except that it would also be intently dull to visit, like reading the ingredients on a cereal box. At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are some websites which go way overboard, loading up on complex graphics, whiz-bang animation, too many video & audio multimedia effects, and literal bells & whistles. Such sites may have a very high initial "cool" factor, but this quickly wears off, and such sites are often difficult to navigate--they may take forever to load, have impossible-to-follow navigation, or be painful to read.

Brainwrap attempts to walk the fine line between these two extremes, by designing and developing websites which are easy to navigate, quick-loading, and cross-platform compatible, while also being enjoyable to visit and having a good aesthetic design to match the clients' corporate image.

While there are various similarities between some of our websites, and some clients do request that their sites' design take inspiration from other sites around the web, Brainwrap makes certain that each one is unique.

If your company already has an established design theme or "identity"--logo, letterhead, correspondence color scheme, and so on--we'll make certain that your website matches it as closely as possible. If you're lacking a corporate identity, or looking to come up with a fresh one, we'll work with you to create a web presence that announces your new look with authority and style.

In addition to our own in-house design skills, Brainwrap has access to a wide array of royalty-free, high-quality professional photographs, clip art, and web art to enhance your website's appearance. To get an idea of some of the possibilities, feel free to visit any of the client sites listed in our client portfolio section.