Expert: Lori - 1/24/2005

Question
What activities can I do that involve web design?

Answer
Do you mean how do you prepare for web design as an occupation or do you mean where can you play/practice at being a web designer?

I just answered a question regarding my "knowledge base" for being a webdesigner.  Read as: nil.  Basic art, advertising/sales/marketing and computer courses taken in high school (except for computers which wasn't offered back in the 1980s).

As to, where can you become involved as a web designer...

What are you hobbies?  I like anything old - local history, genealogy, steam engines, etc.  I first volunteered to do a history and genealogy site for the county my dad's family hails from.  This site allowed me to learn the basics of web design and to expand that knowledge over time.  I've dealt with creating the basic site, sub-sites, graphics, documents (PDFs), mailing lists, message boards and chat rooms.  I've also had tons of interaction with "the public" - some positive, some negative, but all essential to the learning curve.

A few of my friend's wanted web sites to boost their acting careers.  These were fun because I knew the subjects well and was able to imprint their various personalities onto their sites.  Some sites turned out to be very basic; others are ... way out there.

Later I took over a site on America's Age of Steam - steam powered everything from elevators and bakeries to trains and automobiles to nuclear power plants.

My most recently completed site was at the request of a friend who is the member of a national society.  The designer they had... well, he was just lousy.  The society gave me a shot at it and I've been knee deep in model engineering ever since.  With this site I get to deal with people from all over the world - India, Australia, Japan, etc.

So, my advice would be to follow your interests.  My brother took the death of our mother very hard and now has a cancer survivor web site to help others like him.  

Also listen to your friends and family.  An "I wish I could find _____" or "why isn't there a _____" could be a web site waiting to be born.

Honestly, non-profit organizations, schools, local clubs (such as VFW, American Legion, scouts, etc.) - all have viable need of a web site.  Follow your interests and create.