I’m 60 , started learning web design 10 years ago and I consider I’ve just got started in the business. There’s always something new to learn - for instance, I’m now teaching myself some Jquery. And yes, matsays has a good point - I’m very aware of the needs of older users, simply because I’m one myself.
Reading this thread, I’m encouraged by the number of older webdesigners around. Might certain industry podcasts start using them as presenters? I’m a bit fed up with listening to giggling schoolboys.
I was working with a client on a very detailed site which they had initially had done by an assistant in their office. They transitioned the work to me. During that transition, the 22-year-old assistant fired off an email to the client, board, etc. warning them that moving this work to an older person would cause them heartaches because I could not possibly understand the computer side of web development or keep up with the latest technology. I was 53 years old then, and began working with computers when I was 19! From a “design” standpoint, I have worked in print publishing and design since I was 25. Then in computer publishing, design, training, programming.
At any rate, they kept me and love the site and he got a good talking to.
I don’t think of age as a qualifier for a web design position. I think key attributes are:
–The ability to think outside the box and come up with creative ways of accomplishing a goal.
– The ability to self-teach. This field moves at light speed. I spend just as much time self-educating as I do developing. The result is that I’m always on top of my game and am never caught off guard by a clients question (as long as the question is reasonable :))
– The dedication to put time into it. Good web designers/developers aren’t born or made overnight. Just as with any profession it takes years of practice to perform at the top of the game.
In closing I feel that being ‘older’ and in this field could be seen as a benefit. As the average age of internet users continues to move up and up I feel it would be valuable to be from the generation you are designing for.
No age is too old to start in a new business. I see people in their seventies and eighties start businesses and prosper. Use your age to your advantage: You have a lot of experiences which younger people don’t. If your references are good, no serious clients will hold your age against you, and some might even prefer to speak with a seasoned web designer over a young one.
And besides, as I always say: No-one is older than they behave 
50 to 65 = 15 years before retirement.
15 years seems like a good long career
since most people bounce jobs every
3 years.
But here’s a good question for you.
If you’ve been doing a number of websites,
where has all your residual income gone?
And if you don’t do websites with residual,
passive income in mind, you really have not
thought out your model very well.
residual is definitely where it’s at (at least in my model)
Right, there’s only so much time
you can possibly sell by doing one
off websites.
There needs to be a residual aspect
of the project. For example:
-
Hosting (affiliate commission or self hosted)
-
Auto Responders (afffiliate commission)
-
Shoppingcart (affiliate commission)
-
Live Chat / Support systems (affiliate commission)
etc, etc.
These all assume that the services are SaaS with
recurring billing and recurring commissions.
If you build these systems into your design service
it actually changes your entire pricing model since
you’ll be earning the “transaction” income from the
design plus the “recurring income” from the services.
Sir Timothy John “Tim” Berners-Lee, OM, KBE, FRS, FREng, FRSA (born 8 June 1955[1]), is a British engineer and computer scientist and MIT professor credited with inventing the World Wide Web, making the first proposal for it in March 1989.[2] On 25 December 1990, with the help of Robert Cailliau and a young student at CERN, he implemented the first successful communication between an HTTP client and server via the Internet.
He will be 55 this year. Guess he’s too old now.
Great story. You certainly had a leg up with your varied experience, all of which is relevant to this business.
My first computer was an Apple IIc. That was in 1982. Even having been an electronic tech for many years, computers were a new animal, and I was always afraid of getting inside one. Now, I do it all the time. Then, of course, came the Internet. I came to this party somewhat late too, but I have learned tons in the last couple of years. And thank God I got hold of SitePoint and a few of their books right off the bat, so I didn’t have too many bad habit established.
I’m an avid admirer of both Kevin Yank, and Rachel Andrew (but there are others at SitePoint too that I do not mean to diminish). SitePoint is by far the best resource available.
I’m sure I posted in this thread already…Maybe I just read over it.
If you’re already in the Web Design industry (and it would seem so as you’ve been here for the past 5 years at least anyway) at the age of 50 then I don’t think you should worry too much about the comment this person made. If you’ve been doing Web Design, as an amateur or professional for the past 5 years or so then it is much more than the person who isn’t in the Web Design industry. You should take their statement with a grain of salt.
Being 50 years old will mean you also have a totally difference perspective in regards to design and especially user experience / usability too. I don’t want to air my views and opinions of user experience and usability for different ages but I’ll just say that I would imagine you would give more attention to detail regarding accessibility and ease of use in your Web Designs. This is crucial for all ages and most younger and “bottom of the barrell” Web Designers won’t take these elements into consideration.
Whether you’ve been in the industry for the past 5 years or just getting into the industry now at 50 years old I wouldn’t say it makes much of a difference. There are a lot of people who end up having up to three different professional careers in their lifetime. You could enjoy a semi-professional or professional career in Web Design for the next 10 - 20 years if you liked. And as others have said there are many older people in the Web Design industry, two come to mind - Jakob Nielson and Rudy Limeback. Very much professional and made of total win (especially Rudy ;)) and they’re both over 50 years old.
Regarding it being a bit slow for learning and not learning much. The fact that you’re trying to learn just goes to show that the typical stereotype of “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” doesn’t apply to you. I’m sure that if you’re determined and optimistic about the future then you’ll make a fruitful career in Web Design.
I don’t think there is much else to say. The consesus seems to be that 50 isn’t too old to be a Web Designer, so go for it. I wish you good luck in your ventures and if you do still have some struggles in learning some new topics regarding Web Design then you know where to go to 
All the best,
Andrew Cooper
50 is not too old as long as you are able to produce designs that are current and relevant. You have to keep abreast of new technologies and what’s going on in the design world so to speak. But age along should not prevent you from creating what is in demand.
Is 50 too old?
No.
I’m not getting any better or learning anything new
Age has nothing to do with it, however this will prevent you from doing well in the industry. I believe the most important thing is to enjoy learning and be able to keep up to date with the new developments in browsers, tech and design.
You’ve also asked similiar questions many times before - so it might not be working for you if you need to keep asking this question. You need to know what you want to do and just keep working at it.
All the best,
I got no odd looks from the rest of the students when I went back to uni for another degree, this time in computing, when I was 51 (although there were several lecturers younger than me). It was just as well they didn’t make fun of my age, as I got the highest marks in the class, with an average mark 10 points higher than the next best student.
I’m 59 next week, and I think I’m getting better at this work.
50 too old??? No way!
As a former scientist, I’ve spent a life time talking about techy things. Core i7 is just one more techy thing.
PS Want to know about heteronuclear spin decoupling in nuclear magnetic resonance spectrosopy, or is that a bit too techy of a youngster
I am sorry but that is truly inspiring. I’m 31 and sometimes I lack the motivation to get out of my comfort zone. I should learn from people like yourself.
I just started myself and I watch a lot of videos from you tube that really helped. I is very good to get the library books to guide you as well. Good luck.
~ Sam
I am 63 and have been doing web sites for about 5 years, css and html no problem got them under control. But programming is another story, in fact I am looking for someone I can farm my php programming out to, but at my age, life is getting easier and have the time to work in web design.
You 100% got me!
Someone here mentioned people like Gates and Jobs. But do not forget that they started their business when they were young and were creating their companies for decades. Do you want to live 100 years?
I’m sure that age doesn’t play any role and you can kick all those youngsters around you. But! If you decide to become a web designer at the age of 50+, you’ll get strong competition from younger designers. Simply because some of them are doing some design from the age of 12-15.
What the hell am I grumbling in this thread? Probably that’s because I’ve never seen anyone above 50 who can create his own website. Well, these are disadvantages of post-Soviet countries. People don’t know what Internet is and don’t want to learn.
i hope not!
Man I’m 62 and have more business than I can handle. Physically I recently took a year off and rode my bicycle around the world. Mentally - well you have to be able to keep up with all aspects of web site design. Is it website or web site?
If you don’t like learning then find a job in a factory. Web site design is akin to being a doctor - you have to study every day. It is constantly evolving. As the famous John Wooden said “When you are through learning You are through.” By the way take a look at his site www.coachwooden.com I think. Blows me away.
I can do it all in website design since I went to college for 7 years back in the 70’s and opened the first computer store in my area. But … As you grow you have to hire other people with a niche. I have a graphics designer who is 63 and is great. I have hardware and networking people that send me business constantly. Can’t keep up. Just offer them a nice commission.
We are getting ready to hire a couple more people. I see one website company in my city that has 150 employees. Wow. I will guarantee you that many are specialist.
Another thing. If you love it like I do then it is not work. I would do it if I wasn’t getting paid. I plan on staying fit and building websites well into my late 70’s. Retire - Ha - it is too much fun.
We didn’t have these tools and jobs around when I was starting out. Take advantage of them. They say that if Michael Angelo was around he would be a web designer. I believe it.
there is no age limitation in web design business, as long as the design is an up to date design, i think the business will be fine