Spicy Web Designer Interview with Taddeo (Teddy) Zacchini

Taddeo (Teddy) Zacchini is a graphic and user interface designer originally from Venice in Italy. He studied at ISIA in Urbino and now at IUAV University of Venice getting his education in graphic communications. Teddy has been designing for the web for the past 6 years. He does not consider himself a “Web Designer” because he came from a graphic design background and he is mainly concerned with interface design.

1. How did you get started in web design?

I always had a big passion for art and computer world, so it was a natural consequence to me to approach the web world rather soon.

I still remember my first web site, made using Dreamweaver, for my music band when I was at the high school! I could consider this as the starting spark of all my following experiences in Web Design.

2. When did you start designing websites?

I started to approach the web design when I was quite young, at the end of ’90s. With the passing of time I started to make some works for little customers as a freelance, so from there I started to work for little companies and to realize my first personal web site. That was the time that I really start to work in Web Design world. So I could answer that it is from 6 years that I designing Web.

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

I think that at the present time, in the Web world is happening the same thing that is taking place in all of the other expression’s forms: it’s naturally evolving. But his evolution is extremely rapid and dizzy! So I think that the biggest challenge for designers today it is to give into this evolution. To me it’s like a “creative gaming” and it’s the greatest aspect of this job! But I never forgive that the most important purpose it’s realize things that make more simple and pleasant the people’s living.

4. Why do you refer to yourself as a Front-end developer over calling yourself a web designer?  Is it a way to brand yourself to your clients?

I do not consider myself as a Web Designer, I came from a pure Graphic Design background and next I’m specialized in Interaction Design field, so in short, I’m a Graphic & UI Designer. Indeed my work is about the design of the interfaces, not necessarily website.

5. Where did you go to school and has it helped you become a better web designer/front-end developer?

My school’s background is mainly artistic kind: I passed through artistic school (high school), through graphic school (academy university), until the current university postgraduate in interaction design (view details>).

I have acquired the knowledge to be able to realize a complete graphical system, allowing me to apply all this knowledge to the front-end world (layouts, icons, typography…).

I also consider another important aspect in my training: for several years Internet has enabled me to renew my graphical knowledge, allowing me to reach new solutions that could fit the request of every user who navigates in the wonderful Web universe.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

I think that the Web evolves and increases very quickly, and the graphic communications made giant steps during these years.

As all the technologies, people needs time to comprehend this inside out.

I think that in all the last years the Web quality is considerably increased. About the future of modern web, I think that the key would be the simplicity!

So currently, the Designers have a lot of new resources and really good means to carry out their job, but I also think that at the same time there is the risk of a fall in quality of communication caused from the superficial knowledge in this field.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a website? Why are they your favorite tools?

My favorite tools are my inseparable Macbook pro, Illustrator, Fireworks Photoshop, Flash and Squarespace. I love Fireworks because it has a big versatility especially to design for screen and I love design layouts using CSS, especially when I use Squarespace.

To me is implied that in my job I use to try to obtain the best from the different applications!