Jennifer Davis Interview
1. What originally drew you to web development, and how has your focus changed over time?
Jennifer entered web development out of necessity while working as a research associate at UW-Green Bay. Many research projects required websites, so she taught herself how to build them. Over time, she moved from fully hand-coded sites using older technologies to a more streamlined, specialized approach centered on WordPress and modern tools, focusing on efficiency and maintainability instead of reinventing everything from scratch.
2. What types of projects or clients do you usually work with, and which technologies do you rely on most?
Her main clients are small businesses, nonprofit organizations, sole proprietors, and research projects. She typically doesn’t take on large corporate work since she runs a solo operation. Her primary technology stack is WordPress for content management, with PHP used as needed for custom functionality, especially on research-related projects.
3. What tools, software, or CMS platforms do you use most often in your daily workflow?
She primarily uses WordPress as her CMS and Elementor as her main page-builder plugin. Elementor allows her to efficiently create layouts and designs via a visual, drag-and-drop interface instead of hand-coding entire themes or templates. She also has experience with other WordPress builders and keeps an eye on new tools in that ecosystem.
4. Can you walk me through your typical development process—from client request to final deployment?
Her process usually looks like this:
Initial Contact: The client reaches out by phone or email and explains what they need.
Scoping & Quote: She discusses goals, features, and scope, then provides a quote.
Agreement & Deposit: If the client approves, she sends a contract and collects a deposit.
Inspiration & Content: She asks for example sites the client likes and gathers written content and imagery, helping source stock photos when needed.
Design & Build: She builds a custom WordPress site tailored to their needs.
Review & Revisions: The client reviews the site, and she applies any requested tweaks.
Technical Setup: She assists with hosting setup (if needed), domain configuration, email accounts, and additional integrations like Google reCAPTCHA and newsletters.
Launch & Final Invoice: Once everything is approved, the site is launched, and she invoices the remaining balance.
5. How do you handle ongoing maintenance for client websites?
Instead of locking clients into monthly maintenance plans, she empowers them. She provides a detailed instruction document (around ten pages) showing them how to update and maintain their websites. Clients who prefer a hands-off approach can hire her on an as-needed basis for content updates, annual checkups, or technical changes. This flexible model helps keep costs lower for small organizations while still giving them professional support when needed.
6. How does your company or team collaborate on projects between developers, designers, and clients?
Jennifer operates as a solo web developer but collaborates externally when needed. For branding and logo design, she refers clients to professional graphic designers she knows or suggests platforms like Fiverr or local designers. She does not provide hosting directly but advises clients on choosing reliable hosting providers and warns them about companies that use aggressive upselling or hidden fees. She handles core web development, setup, and guidance, while leveraging specialists where appropriate.
7. What’s the biggest challenge you face as a web developer, and how do you handle it?
Her biggest challenge is educating clients on the value of a professional website. Many new businesses try DIY platforms like Wix, Squarespace, or GoDaddy’s site builder, then approach her when the site doesn’t look professional or function well—often with unrealistic expectations of a cheap “quick fix.” She frequently has to explain that it’s more effective to rebuild properly rather than patch a weak foundation, and that a website should be treated as a core marketing investment, not an afterthought or a $50 add-on.
8. How do you stay current with evolving technologies in web development?
She keeps her skills current by:
Reading online resources and documentation
Testing new WordPress page builders and plugins
Regularly exploring modern websites and inspecting how they’re built
Reviewing web design award sites and contests to see examples of current trends
Rather than attending conferences, she relies on continuous self-directed learning online and hands-on experimentation with new tools and approaches.
9. What skill, language, or concept do you wish you had learned sooner in your career?
She mentioned that exposure to additional programming languages like C++ and deeper experience with modern JavaScript-related tools (such as jQuery and similar technologies) could have been helpful earlier in her career. She has worked with many languages over time (Perl, ASP, PHP, etc.), but the industry’s ongoing shift toward JavaScript ecosystems and various frameworks reinforce the value of expanding beyond traditional server-side tools.
She also highlighted the practical reality that many hosting environments today are Linux/Apache-based, making PHP and WordPress especially valuable, while ASP.NET is more niche and tied to organizations using Microsoft servers.
10. What skills or traits separate a good developer from a great one?
According to Jennifer, great developers:
Can quickly reason through a problem and envision a solution path from A to B
Have enough experience with their tools and languages that solutions come to mind rapidly
Write clear, well-documented code so others can understand and maintain it
She emphasized that in team environments and larger companies, good documentation and commenting are essential so other developers can efficiently work with the codebase.
11. What advice would you give to a current web development student preparing to enter the industry?
Her key points of advice:
Recognize the market reality: Web development is a crowded field, and DIY platforms reduce the number of clients who seek custom work.
Be flexible about location: You may need to look beyond your immediate local area to find the right job opportunities.
Specialize in something: Be broadly knowledgeable, but pick a specific technology, stack, or niche to become highly proficient in. That specialization can help you stand out when applying for jobs.
She also noted that different career paths exist — from working as part of a large corporate team to running your own small operation — and students should think about which environment fits them best.