Rob Alan loves getting his hands dirty when it comes to web design

Rob Alan is a web designer from Indianapolis, Indiana in the United States. Rob originally started designing websites in 2000 while at college and loved getting his hands dirty so to speak. He attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and made the switch from architecture to web design. He started his first paid gig in 2001 during the summer and he has been designing professionally ever since. He currently takes on freelance work in his spare time and he works full-time at SpinWeb as a Creative Director. In his own words, Rob has said that “My tenure here has never been a walk in the park, and I wouldn’t want it any other way” and he attributes this to his success as a well-rounded and seasoned web designer.

1. When did you start designing websites?

I started in 2000, during my first year of college. I took a telecommunications class with a professor who, for some reason, had us all create five Web sites for different case studies during the course. As soon as I got my hands dirty, I was in love — toying around with tables and DIVs in the Dreamweaver WYSIWYG. So innocent; so naive… Haha!

2. How long have you been designing professionally for?

The summer of 2001 brought my first paid gig — a friend’s band needed a re-design. So around eight years now. Being a musician myself, the bulk of my freelance work has been for musicians. Most notably, I created a site for Island Records artist Jon McLaughlin before he became über famous.

3. Why did you want to become a professional web designer?

It just sort of happened. I can’t say that I ever had anything other than an itch to create, and that itch got scratched with Web design and has spun off into print, identity and illustration design as well.

4. How have your experiences as a creative director made you a better web designer?

I’ve had very little direction from anyone in a role like creative director… I guess you could say I wasn’t tainted. I don’t have a picture of what a CD is supposed to look like, so I’m able to craft my role as I see fit — which has made me better because I have been able to look at my team’s process from the outside, in. It allows me to apply the guidance I’ve given to myself — I’m my own worst client, so it can be difficult to get something done. Some of the principles I’ve learned in guiding my team have helped me overcome that obstacle to an extent.

5. Where and what did you originally study at college or university?

I studied at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. I went in for the acclaimed architecture program but found Web design instead. I ended up interning and taking a position with the company I currently work for, SpinWeb, during my sophomore year and never looked back. I have yet to finish my degree, which ended up General Studies because the “Multimedia Design” program was so weak back then.