Master CIW Designer

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Hi all,

Yesterday I passed the E-Commerce v5 exam which means I am now a Master CIW Designer . I am very pleased just got to get some more hands on experience now with HTML, Javascript etc.

On the exam note I thought E-Commerce was quite easy and a lot of the exam is basically common knowledge. While taking the exam its very easy to eliminate answers on questions because some suggestions are just completly random so its quite easy to get down to two and even the answer.

In a way im a bit ticked off as I still dont know how to build a quality website as the certification does not really go into depth with HTML but thats something I will do by myself by going to my library and getting some good books.

Well im off to do two Microsoft certifications now as part of my homing learning course, I got to do 70-305 and 70-306. Anyone had any experiences with Microsoft exams, is there a lot to learn?

Cheers for the help everyone, I will still see whats happening on this forum as its where I started.

P.S check out my info box, looks good to me lol, get in there.

 

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Greetings, CGooders. Congratulations on passing your exam. I am kind of sorry to hear that you are considered a "Master CIW Designer" but you "dont know how to build a quality website". Anyway, there are plenty of books out there that can help. I've reviewed quite a number of books on the subject. Have a look and see what suits your fancy:

http://www.wiredwriter.net/reviews/reviews_list.html#web

Microsoft certification exams won't be as easy as the CIW tests. MS exams can be very challenging and Microsoft's testing strategy seems as much about tripping up the candidate as it is about testing knowledge possessed. Get good books and study hard.

Goodl luck.

 

Thanks for the advice Tripwire, sounds to me you aint a big fan of CIW, whats so wrong with it? Not having a go I just like to hear people opinions on them.

When I was referring to building a quality site I was basically saying I dont know much code as in HTML and XHTML as I personally think CIW dont touch on it that much with this certification. However I can just get some books on HTML and XHTML which I think will be more helpful and a lot more easier to learn.

 

Actually, I don't have anything against this cert. I was just commenting that you possess a certification in web design but didn't feel like you really had "masters-level" web design skills. Maybe I read your original post wrong.

 

I've also got the Master CIW Designer certification (though I don't list it), and I can't really build a quality Web site. I took the exams MANY years ago, so the exam might have changed since then... but back then, if you knew the tags and a few buzzwords, you could pass.

 

Reading over my first post maybe I did not make it clear.

I believe this CIW certification makes you learn a lot about the web design world as in what your web site should be aimed at, what content it should contain etc. However basically I was trying to get across it never really went in depth to show you how to construct a really appealing site using HTML and XHTML, it gave you information on how to approach your audience and steps to make it have effective usability but did not really go into the construction side of it as in tags.

In a nut shell you learn a lot of rules of how to build a site, networks, audiences etc but the certification never goes into depth with HTML/XHTML tags. I can build a effective site but not as good looking like sites you see on the internet, yet.

 

Well done on passing. Good luck with the next certs

 

Problem is that 'design skills' are difficult to examine given the electronic/multiple choice nature of exams.

If you studied art at college, you would submit artwork to an assessor, but you can't do this in this environment.

I've done a lot of design stuff, and I would say that you need a balance of actual design skills AND the knowledge that something like CIW gives you.

They go together nicely. I've seen loads of budding designers who consider them a whiz on the latest technologies but fall flat on their face if you ask something simple like 'so what does that site look like in Netscape?'

There's a balance to be had between knowledge and ability.

 

I'm doing the CIW Website Design Manager Cert, and I have to agree that the actual amount of design you learn is minimal, and it is hard to examine.

My course actually incorporate most of the other exams that CIW devise (not sure what they are, Dee may be along later with more info).

To try and resolve this situation I am also going to sit a City&Guilds Web Design exam which is nearly all practical (and 8 hours long, with breaks). This exam entails designing a site on paper given certain info about intended audience, and then using software of your choice (installed on their machines) to actually implement the site.

It does seem mad that a person could hold a cert in web design whilst knowing very little (X)HTML, Javascript, Perl, PHP. but the course I'm on packs a massive amount of information in.
Still....(X)HTML should really be considered a priority!!

Well Done on the Pass!!

 

Well done CGOODERS!.....pleased to hear the e-commerce is quite easy! I am halfway through the site designer v5 and know what you mean about the lack of indepth knowledge of xhtml/javascript ect, ect.....!
But i suppose it's about learning the trade, get given the tools and basic knowledge and getting stuck in? Because when you do look at the amount of codes we need to learn and how much there is.....then it would take a lot longer to get certified.I have a book on HTML which is as thick as a house brick and it would take me months to learn all there is to know about the html not alone CSS, Javascript,Xhtml and DHTML. And most of the HTML elements are rarely used. But i am sure in a few months we all should be able to design a well structured web site with all the javascripts and flash banners to go with it.

And i wish you luck on the MS certs to! (which is the path i am gonna take to)

 

Strictly speaking, Its less to learn than you think. You don't learn HTML and XHTML separately,..once you know xhtml, then you've just about covered HTML (apart from some deprecated tags that you would only use to work on old sites).

DHTML is not really a separate thing to Javascript. In other words, once you know Javascript and XHTML, then you have the tools to implement DHTML because DHTML is a "technology" or a "way of doing things". once you have the tools to use it, its simply a matter of learning what it can do and where to use it.

CSS is a MUST. This is due to all the HTML attributes being scraped in favour of a more accessible and efficient page.

The bottom line is, If you want to be a capable designer, you should concentrate on XHTML, CSS, PHP. That will get you started. You can then do the other stuff: Perl, Javascript, etc.