How can I enjoy or avoid designing every web application I make?

Question

I know this sounds silly, but I'm having huge problems (ok, not that huge, but still...) problems when I get an idea for a web project, small or big. The instant turn off is when I remember that I have to code the html/css by hand again and again. I like programming a lot more that designing web sites, and I simply don't enjoy designing them as much as I enjoy programming them.

With that said, I also prefer simple and minimalistic designs. What is your approach in web design, how do you make it enjoyable (at least a little bit)?

Answer 1

If you don't have any/like any prefabricated templates, team up with someone. Share your idea with a designer, and work together on the project.

Answer 2

I use prefabricated HTML/CSS templates. Or I create my own and reuse those. But I try not to reinvent the wheel each time.

Answer 3

I do some XHTML/CSS myself. Reuse is the key. Most designs are pretty common: header, columns, footer. Create some generic designs which you get to know, modify and reuse. Use comments in your CSS, that way you'll find things to modify easier.

If you organize your toolset, most of your XHTML/CSS work will be modifying existing code and not writing them by hand from scratch.

If that doesn't work, delegate.

Answer 4

I see the following 3 possibilities as good candidates in your decision:

1.) Use CMS (It's simple and affordable)

2.) Give your design tasks to a university where for a small ammount students would be willing to do this for you and you could make payment as scholarship and organize the work on the project as a race between students to find the best designer. You don't have to pay taxes after scholarship payment, students are willing to do the job for a very small ammount (students are the poorest people in the world) and from 10 candidates you could choose the winner (the best in your taste)

3.) Go to a Freelancing site and open this project. Freelancer designers would try to bid for lesser and lesser prices, shorter and shorter timeframes and the winner would be the Freelancer who provides the best solution for the lowest price. However, in most cases, the cheapest person and the provider of the best quality is not the same person, in this case, you must decide how important is the cost and how important is the quality for you.