WOW Certified Web Designer Associate

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 course descriptions and learning objectives. After completing the CWDSA guidelines and resources, individuals may take the WOW Certified Web Designer Associate Certification Exam.

Introduction

The WOW Certified Web Designer Associate (CWDSA) examination measures essential competencies for aspiring or practicing Web Designers. The examinee must demonstrate knowledge of Internet basics, HTML and WYSIWYG editors, Web graphics, Web multimedia, Web site design, Web site management, and basic 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 Web Designer Associate. The intent is to certify individuals in a body of knowledge that is identified and accepted as the baseline or foundation of any Web Designer.

Recommended Books

Internet Basics

  • How the Internet Works (6th Edition) by Preston Gralla. Publisher: Que, ISBN: 0789725827

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
  • Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide by Eric A. Meyer Publisher: O’Reilly Publishing, ISBN: 1565926226
  • 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 Development & Design Foundations with XHTML by Terry Felke-Morris. Publisher: Addison-Wesley Computing ISBN 0-321-43675-X

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

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