Website Design & Development Personal Statement Example

Over the last four years I have continuously strived to gain and improve my knowledge throughout all aspects of the web. I first studied HTML and CSS through a YouTube channel named thenewboston; the tutorials that were provided helped to give me a foundation which I could later build upon. Using this channel I also went on to gain a basic understanding of programming using the C++ and Java programming languages. Once I felt comfortable using HTML, CSS, C++ and Java I went on to study from another channel named phpacademy.

This transition greatly helped improve my knowledge of both PHP and CSS to the point where I can now create basic dynamic websites without the aid of tutorials. I have been using books to expand my knowledge, the most recent being Digital Design for Print and Web. This has greatly improved my ability to create aesthetically pleasing user interfaces.

My dedication to self-improvement in web design and development has inspired me to study web at a university, where I hope to incorporate new ideas with my own knowledge in a practical and beneficial way, as well as to add work to a future portfolio. Over the course of my designing and developing, I have identified several areas in which I struggled and have decided, in order to make my transfer to university easier, to spend the next year focusing and developing my knowledge in those areas by researching and experimenting with new ideas to find a practise that is both practical and compliments my style.

Last year I successfully completed a BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design (Interactive Media) which greatly helped me develop imagination and creativity. Throughout this course we studied a wide range of design techniques that I would like to build upon, as well as development techniques that could be used specifically for website creation. While working on website design and development I was taught numerous techniques such as compressing images for the web with Adobe Photoshop. This helped me significantly at the time as I was working on an image heavy website and I still continue to compress images to this day.

I was also taught how to use Adobe Dreamweaver due to the many features that the program has to offer such as the drag and drop functionality, file management system and easy FTP upload. Although I enjoyed using the program for the more intricate projects, I still enjoy the challenge and mental stimulation that hand coding provides.

I am currently studying on a BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in IT in order to gain a business view of how websites are created. We are currently studying Unit 1 - Communication and Employability Skills for IT. This has given me knowledge and understanding of attributes that employer's value and the ability to communicate effectively using different communication channels such as word processed documents, presentations and social media, among others. We have looked at accessibility which is relevant in business, in particular to websites. I will also gain the ability to address my own personal development needs. Later this year I will be studying Website Production and Management in which we have to design and create a website to a client's specifications. Creating a website from analysis to implementation will give me the ability to merge the skills that I have attained through the study of media and IT.

I am keen to promote a healthy lifestyle and realise the importance of a work-life balance. Over the last two years I have grown fond of endurance sports as I discovered I like to see how far I can push myself. In October of this year I successfully completed the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Over the last four years I have found a number of people who have inspired me, people such as Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. These people revolutionised how we use technology in our everyday lives and without their innovative thinking, everything that we have accomplished today would still be a dream and not a reality.