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Heather OConnell
CST 300
20 October 2016

Pathway to the Web Design Industry

Part I

Web design is a modern industry; less than 50 years ago web design was not part of any

university curriculum and the job title web designer did not exist. As a young industry, web

design continues to develop and evolve year after year, meaning current design students must

learn how to stay afloat in such an ever-changing environment. Investigation into industry trends,

existing positions, and job expectations is necessary in order to gain a true understanding of the

field of web design. In addition, creating a path to acquire the knowledge and skills required by

industry norms is essential for all university students. For students in the Communication Design

B.S. program at California State University, Monterey Bay, planning for a capstone project is

part of this path. Equipped with that information, all design students will be more effectively

prepared to enter the design industry after graduation.

According to 10 Best Design, half of the top 10 web design businesses in the United

States are located in New York City, while the remaining five are located in Paramus, New

Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Chicago, Illinois; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco, California. In

addition to web design and web development, all of the best web design companies have a wide

range of web-related services, such as branding, search engine optimization, and mobile app

development (10 Best Design, 2016). The current leader, Big Drop Inc., has held its position as

number one since July of 2014 when it took the place of the current runner-up, Blue Fountain
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Media (10 Best Design, 2014). Prior to its move to second place in July, Blue Fountain Media

was in first place from March to June of 2014 (10 Best Design, 2014).

Blue Fountain Media was founded in 2003 by CEO Gabriel Shaoolian under the name

Gabriel Productions, which was changed to the current name in 2006 (Pofeldt, 2012).

Originally, the company was comprised of only Shaoolian himself working for 35 dollars an

hour, but now Blue Fountain Media employs more than 200 people and generates 10 to 25

million USD per year (Glassdoor, 2016; Pofeldt, 2012; Tatarsky, 2016). Blue Fountain Medias

headquarters are located on Madison Avenue in New York City with additional offices in

Chicago, Illinois and Seattle, Washington (Blue Fountain Media, 2016a). They also have

offshore development teams in Portugal and Ukraine (Tatarsky, 2016). In January of 2016, Blue

Fountain Media was purchased by Pactera International Technologies Ltd., but day-to-day

management and operations remain unchanged (Tatarsky, 2016).

Blue Fountain Medias tagline, Your partner for digital growth, embodies the spirit of

their mission statement: To create websites and digital solutions that help grow businesses

online (Blue Fountain Media, 2016a). The success of Blue Fountain Medias mission statement

is measurable; in 2014, clients of Blue Fountain Media welcomed over 200 million monthly

visitors to their digital properties and made two billion dollars in revenue (Tatarsky, 2016).

Numerous case studies featured on Blue Fountain Medias website specify the numerical value of

the improvements their clients experienced after working with Blue Fountain Media. For

example, nonprofit organization Cook For Your Life experienced a number of dramatic, positive

results: a 9000 percent increase in site interaction, a 1070 percent increase in non-branded search
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traffic, a 125 percent increase in direct traffic, and a 95 percent increase in engagement with

Facebook users (2016b).

Blue Fountain Medias clientele themselves range from startups to Fortune 1000

companies (Tatarsky, 2016). Some of Blue Fountain Medias more famous customers include

NASA, IBM, AT&T, Walt Disney, and NFL (Blue Fountain Media, 2016c). Blue Fountain

Media also claims to serve all industries under the slogan, We stay on top of our industry by

being experts in yours. The industries are categorized under business-to-business,

business-to-consumer, e-commerce, enterprise, education, nonprofit, and startup (Blue Fountain

Media, 2016d).

The services offered by Blue Fountain Media are divided into five categories: Strategy

and Consulting, Creative Design, Website Development, Online Marketing, and Mobile Apps.

Blue Fountain Medias services are further defined within each category. The Strategy and

Consulting category is comprised of business analysis and consulting, brand identity, campaign

strategy, content strategy and copywriting, as well as information architecture and user

experience. Creative Design encompasses web design, e-commerce design, mobile design, logo

design and branding, print design, and video production. Website Development services include

responsive website development, mobile development, and six different content management

systems: Sitecore, Magento, Drupal, Webmodulite, Wordpress, and Joomla. Search engine and

conversion rate optimization; pay-per-click, email, and social media marketing; display

advertising; and online public relations are all services within Online Marketing. Lastly, Mobile

Apps covers the strategy, design, development, and marketing of mobile applications (Blue

Fountain Media, 2016b).

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To cover this wide variety of services, Blue Fountain Medias employees range from

information architects, web designers, and web developers to business developers, account

directors, strategists, and marketing professionals in addition to management and human

resources. Aside from the CEO and founder, Gabriel Shaoolian, Blue Fountain Medias main

staff include Ralph Marino, Chief Financial Officer; Samantha Lambert, Director of Human

Resources; and Gavin Silver, Director of Operations. The side of Blue Fountain Media that

specializes in helping businesses grow is managed by Brian Byer, VP Business Development;

Joe DiNardo, Director of Marketing Operations; John Marcinuk, Director of Integrated Digital

Marketing & PR; Jonathan Mark, Director of Marketing Services; Kim Connors, Director of

Strategy; and James McCrae, Director of Brand Strategy. The design side has fewer directors:

only the Director of Development Roman Shekin and the Director of Design Tatyana

Khamdamova (Blue Fountain Media, 2016c). According to ratings on Glassdoor, Blue Fountain

Medias employees give senior management 3.9 out of 5 stars as well as a 75 percent approval

rate for the CEO (2016).

In addition to their reputation at 10 Best Design, Blue Fountain Media is also recognized

as a top 10 digital agency by Awwwards and Interactive Media Awards (Blue Fountain Media,

2016a). Blue Fountain Media also boasts a long line of satisfied customers who are not only

happy with the product, but pleased with the level of personal service as well (Blue Fountain

Media, 2016g; Yelp, 2016). Blue Fountain Media has experienced a 167 percent growth rate over

the last three years, which is reflected in their 73 percent positive business outlook (Glassdoor,

2016; Overfelt, 2014). Overall, Blue Fountain Media offers five star services and a four star work

experience (Glassdoor, 2016; Yelp, 2016).

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Part II

In 2013, I entered California State University, Monterey Bay in the Japanese Language

and Culture B.A. program. At the time, I was unaware of the degrees offered under the School of

Computing and Design. However, in my sophomore year, I decided to minor in Communication

Design and enrolled in the three most basic prerequisite courses: Media Tools (CST 201),

Introduction to Digital Graphic Design (CST 227), and Web Tools (CST 251). I happily stayed

up all hours of the night working on projects for those classes, which led me to realize how much

I truly enjoyed designing. I knew my interest would not be fulfilled by a few classes in the minor

program, so I upgraded Communication Design from a minor to a secondary major.

For a recent graduate, a stagnant career with no room for improvement or achievement is

entirely unacceptable; I want a job that will foster my desire to learn more and acquire new skills.

An ideal work environment encourages personal growth through challenging projects and

supportive coworkers. In order to secure a comfortable, rewarding job, the applicant must first

understand the hiring criteria as well as the duties and expectations of the position. Although the

specific skills and length of experience required on a job application vary from company to

company, there are many common factors: a degree in the field, at least one year of experience

designing, a strong understanding of the tools required to make effective websites, and the ability

to cooperate in a professional environment (Isadora, 2016; Kohactive, 2016; Lounge Lizard,

2016). Job duties for a web designer include conducting meetings with clients to discuss project

objectives and give creative guidance, creating compelling conceptual designs, conducting tests

to resolve potential usability issues, and staying abreast of all relevant technological
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developments and industry trends (Creative Group, 2015). Fortunately, most of these criteria are

covered within the compulsory courses of the Communication Design B.S. program.

There are nine core classes for all Communication Design majors with additional classes

specific to each of the three emphases: Publication Design, Web Design, and Interactive Design.

In the Major ProSeminar (CST 300), students create personal and professional goals while

developing professional literacy in written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills. Media

Tools (CST 201), Scripting for Multimedia (CST 221), Computing for Digital Artists (CST 236),

and Introduction to Digital Graphic Design (CST 227) are four core courses that introduce the

basics of design: fundamental knowledge of computers and design elements, essential design

program skills, and the design process itself. Students develop an understanding of industry

ethics through contemporary case studies about intellectual property rights and information

privacy in Ethics in Communication and Technology (CST 373). Communication Design Service

Learning (CST 461S) broadens students awareness of social injustices while practicing

real-world problem-solving skills. Lastly, Senior Capstone Project Planning (CST 400), Capstone

Lab (CST 401), and Directed Study (CST 496) provide the environment for students to polish

their skills in project management and group collaboration while creating a professional-grade

product (Course descriptions: SCD, 2016).

The five Web Design emphasis courses concentrate on practical knowledge and practice.

Web Tools (CST 251), Web Design (CST 351), and Web Production (CST 451) are sequential

courses that improve students experience creating effective, well-designed websites. Web

Scripting (CST 352) covers the skills needed to make dynamic, user-interactive websites using

PHP and mySQL. The final Web Design emphasis course is selected by the student from a
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number of possible courses; I chose Game Character and Environment Modeling (CST 307),

which introduces a 3D modelling software and covers the skills needed to make a complete

three-dimensional character in an environment (Course descriptions: SCD, 2016).

To further the skills gained in core classes and emphasis classes, the Communication

Design program also requires additional breadth courses. I will take Publication Design (CST

304) and Publication Workshop (CST 404) to extend my design ability to include printed

material as well as web content. Overall, through completion of the Communication Design B.S.

program, students gain experience in Adobe programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign,

Acrobat, and Dreamweaver; learn coding languages such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript; and

acquire essential professional skills such as project management, team cooperation, and

presentational communication (Course descriptions: SCD, 2016).

Although classwork contributes toward experience in the form of portfolio building,

extracurricular activities, such as clubs and internships, can provide additional experience to list

on a resume. Design Studio is an example of a beneficial extracurricular commitment. In 2012,

the Design Studio club was founded at California State University, Monterey Bay by students in

the Communication Design B.S. program. They provide design-related services to the campus

and community in an effort to practice the skills taught in class (Design Studio, n.d.). I would

like to join this club to connect with my peers and develop more material for my portfolio.

Internships are another option for those seeking to gain additional experience, engage in a work

environment, and network with professionals (Hering, 2010). A design intern is expected to assist

creative and technical teams on current projects as well as be eager to learn and adapt to new

situations (Huemor, 2016). Unfortunately, due to my course load, an internship during the school
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year is not conceivable, therefore I will apply for a summer internship. However, because I have

residences in Monterey and San Diego, I have access to major design hubs in both Northern and

Southern California, particularly Los Angeles and San Jose.

As a double major, I will also have a background in Japanese Language and Culture.

Part III

Capstone in the Communication Design B.S. program is a yearlong project. Students

work closely with a faculty advisor on their project throughout both semesters; Kevin Cahill is

the advisor for all students with a Web Design emphasis. In the fall semester, students create a

project proposal and prototype, then present their project concept to a panel of faculty members

for approval. In the spring semester, students create an e-portfolio and fully document the project

completion process for their final presentation. Capstone projects also have six requirements:

complexity, integration of technology and design, technical and design excellence, community

involvement, project management, and documentation (Whats a capstone?, 2016). I will fulfill

these capstone requirements during the 2017-2018 school year with a project involving my first

major, Japanese Language and Culture.

The spring semester before departing to Japan, students take the Maximizing Study

Abroad (JAPN 420) course and learn how to document their study abroad experience through

photo-journaling and blogging projects (Course descriptions: WLC, 2016). However, blog entries

are posted to each students personal Weebly e-portfolio and photos are posted separately on

Flickr; students cannot see their peers writing or their own photos and journals side-by-side. A

solution to this issue would be a single, centralized location where each students work is

displayed and visible to everyone. In addition to simply viewing all the contributed works,
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students could also communicate with their peers and ask questions or seek clarification on

interesting journals and photos through a comment system.

The complexity requirement is fulfilled by creating a useful, lasting platform for peers to

share their experiences and provide information for future students. The two technical and design

requirements are met through the creation of an interconnected, user-friendly website; it must be

intuitively operable to the viewer and correctly format all the student content. Cooperating with

the World Languages and Cultures Department and facilitating student communication through

their photo-journaling and blogging fulfills the community involvement requirement. Lastly, the

project management and documentation requirements are completed by keeping track of my

schedule and all utilized resources in addition to detailed notes on each step of the design

process; these documents will be shared and stored in Google Drive for ease of access and safety

in the cloud.

The skills needed to complete this project include mobile design and content management

systems. The most common visitors to my project site will most likely be students and because

30 percent of California State University Monterey Bays website access is through mobile

devices, responsive web design is a definite necessity (Pool, 2015). The proposed site will also

require a content management system to organize the large amount of student contributed work.

Needed materials include Adobe Illustrator, for design mockups; Adobe Dreamweaver, for

coding the site; a content management system, such as Drupal; and a responsive framework, such

as Bootstrap. In addition, it will also be necessary to cooperate with the students and faculty of

the Department of World Languages and Cultures in order to populate the site with authentic

content.
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Adobe Illustrator and Dreamweaver are included in the Creative Cloud product line,

which is priced at $19.99 per month for students (Adobe, 2016). Drupal and Bootstrap are both

free to use, however publishing a website requires a host and development platform such as

Pantheon, which cost 25 dollars per month for each site (Pantheon, 2016). The price of domain

names vary depending on the company, but most cost only 10 to 15 dollars per year (Engel,

2014). I also use a Wacom Cintiq tablet when designing, which was purchased for $1999.95

(Wacom, 2016). Altogether, the budget for this project is $2464.85.

Through the completion of my capstone project, I can demonstrate the knowledge and

skills that I have acquired throughout my time at California State University, Monterey Bay. In

addition, the capstone project provides a time and place for a safe test run of sorts to

experience completing an entire design project. This is not only a display of design skills, but the

additional skills expected by employers in the industry. I am excited to complete my capstone

project because of what it stands for: a culmination of all I have learned and a glimpse of all the

projects I will contribute to in the future.

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References

10 Best Design. (2014, Jul). 10 best website development companies.Retrieved from

http://www.10bestdesign.com/firms/2014/july/

10 Best Design. (2016, Sep). 10 best web design firms. Retrieved from

http://www.10bestdesign.com/firms/2016/september/

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Blue Fountain Media. (2016a). About us: Experience BFM.Retrieved from

http://www.bluefountainmedia.com/about-experience/

Blue Fountain Media. (2016b). Design & marketing case studied. Retrieved from

http://www.bluefountainmedia.com/case-studies/

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http://www.bluefountainmedia.com/clients/industries-served/

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http://www.bluefountainmedia.com/services-overview/

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http://www.bluefountainmedia.com/team/

Blue Fountain Media. (2016g). Client testimonials & reviews.Retrieved from

http://www.bluefountainmedia.com/testimonials/
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Course descriptions: WLC.(2016). Retrieved from California State University Monterey Bay

website: https://csumb.edu/wlc/course-descriptions-0/

Course descriptions: SCD.(2016). Retrieved from California State University Monterey Bay

website: https://csumb.edu/scd/course-descriptions/

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https://www.facebook.com/CSUMBDesignStudio/about/

Engel, J. (2014, Jul 29). How much does a website really cost?Retrieved from

http://www.whoishostingthis.com/blog/2014/07/29/website-cost/

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http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/worklife/04/14/cb.why.internships.important/

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Kohactive. (2016). Front-end developer career opportunities. Retrieved from

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