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People often ask me how they can learn web design so they can create their own websites.

While learning web design is not something you can pick up in a couple of hours or even months,  as with almost any skill, you can learn it with much persistence and practice.

Several good websites offer online web design courses.  The advantages of learning from own your sofa on your own time can not be overestimated if you have the self-discipline to follow through and actually do the work and pay attention.

One is Treehouse.  The classes are simple and fun.  They’re easy.  I am signed up for a monthly subscription although I find it hard to make time while running my small business.  That is my excuse for everything, but largely true.  The work needed to keep my business growing, my clients happy, and my employees paid is all-consuming and demanding.  Running you’re own business or learning to be a web designer is not for the feint of heart. It can be done however if you work at it.

Another online course that I’ve used is Lynda’s.  It’s great, if you can manage to be a self-motivated self-starter.  It has great online classes with lots of videos and projects.

My web designer Jody and I take web design classes at SAIT.  Our instructor Dudley Storey is great.  He’s brilliant and passionate about web design and his blog is equally brilliant. Just looking at it you can see what a wonderful web designer and educator he is.  It’s even gorgeous visually. Stunning.  You could use it as an online course.  In places, the blog is bit too advanced for beginners because its audience includes all levels of expertise, but he absolutely knows his stuff.  You would do well to read every word of the blog and try out his examples. I think he’s a bit of a cutting-edge genius and we’re lucky to have him in Calgary and at SAIT.

If you aren’t self-motivated to keep at the online courses, you might try a course at SAIT. Years ago, I got my start in computers and networking there, and I always take courses to keep up with the fast pace of changes in technology.

If learning web design isn’t your thing or you’re not quite up to speed yet, and need a website sooner rather than later,  hire Ducktoes to design it for you.  We can make it in a customized CMS framework so you can make changes yourself while you’re learning.  We’ll make the design eye-catching, clean, and responsive.  It will promote your business 24/7.