WOW Certified Professional Web Designer

Program Overview

Based on research of industry needs and competencies and skill sets identified as essential for Web technology workers, WOW has designed the following guidelines, learning objectives, and resources as a foundation for those pursuing knowledge, experience, and/or careers as Web Designers or Webmasters. The guidelines, objectives, and resources are designed to make the learning experience comparable to one experienced in college-level courses by providing exam descriptions and learning objectives.

Introduction

The WOW Certified Professional Web Designer (CPWDS) examination measures essential competencies for practicing Web Designers. Examinees know most, if not all, of the information found within the following described domains. Typically, they have at least two years of professional experience. The examinee must demonstrate knowledge of Internet basics, HTML and WYSIWYG editors, Web graphics, Web multimedia, Web site design, Web site management, and legal issues at the standard defined by this test specification. The skills and knowledge measured by this examination are derived from an industry-wide and worldwide job task analysis which was validated through a survey of hundreds of designers. The results of the survey were used in weighting the domains and ensuring that the weighting is representative of the relative importance of that content to the job requirements of a WOW Certified Professional Web Designer. The intent is to certify individuals in a body of knowledge that is identified and accepted for a professional-level Web Designer.

Recommended Books

Web Graphics and Multimedia

  • designing web graphics.4, Fourth Edition by Lynda Weinman. Publisher: New Riders. ISBN: 0735710791
  • Macromedia Flash MX Unleashed, by Matthew Pizzi. Publisher: Sams. ISBN: 0672324016
  • Creating Web Graphics, Audio, and Video Interactive Workbook by Michael R. Mosher, Roger P. Shepard Jr. Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR. ISBN: 0130865907

Usability

  • Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity by Jakob Nielsen. Publisher: New Riders. ISBN: 156205810X.
  • Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug, Roger Black. Publisher: Que. ISBN: 0789723107

Markup, CSS, Scripting, Site Design, Site Management, Accessibility, Scripting

The books in this section cover a broad range of topics, but also provide detailed learning specific to the title content.

  • Special Edition Using HTML and XHTML by Molly E. Holzschlag. Publisher: Que. ISBN: 0789727315
  • Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman. Publisher: New Riders. ISBN: 0735712018
  • Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide by Eric A. Meyer Publisher: O’Reilly Publishing, ISBN: 1565926226
  • Eric Meyer on CSS: Mastering the Language of Web Design by Eric A. Meyer. Publisher: New Riders. ISBN: 073571245X
  • CSS: The Designer’s Edge by Molly E. Holzschlag. Publisher: Sybex, ISBN: 0782141846
  • JavaScript Bible (4th Edition) by Danny Goodman. Publisher: John Wiley and Sons, ISBN: 0764533428

Web Project Management

  • Web Project Management: Delivering Successful Commercial Web Sites by Ashley Friedlein. Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN: 1558606785

Legal Issues

  • Inside the Minds: Internet Lawyers – The Most Up to Date Handbook of Important Answers to Issues Facing Every Entrepreneur, Lawyer, and Anyone with a Web Site by Aspatore Books Staff, InsideTheMinds.com, James Hutchinson, Mark Fischer, Arnold Levine, Carl Cohen, Brian Vandenberg, Harrison Smith, Mark Gruhin, Gordon Caplan, Mintz Levin, Richard Turner, John Igeo. Publisher: Aspatore Books. ISBN: 1587620065