Searching For A Web Designer
The art of web designing has changed drastically since the addition of the web 2.0. As this web keeps growing the skills necessary to create and maintain a web page now dip into javascript and a creative portfolio. This makes choosing the right web designer a difficult task as you need to find the artistic and technical balance.
The web design process is often difficult for business owners to manage. There are many confusing terms and technical jargon, which sound complicated, but are just a matter of familiarity. When planning your website, you should consider it as a flagship store or the face of your company. Think of planning a website like planning a building. First you need blueprints, then an artistic rendering, and finally the builders make it real.
Figuring out if you will need a database is the first step. A website with just videos, audio, text, and pictures has no need for a database. If you plan to sell from your website then you will be in need of a programmer to set this up. Take the time to look at other websites and keep note of what you like this way your designer has an idea of what he is getting into. It saves him time and you money as they run on hourly wages.
After you have a good idea of what you would like to see on your website, it’s time to start looking for a web designer. The Internet is the best place to look of course. There are numerous people already advertising their services, or you can place a free classifieds ad to request applications and portfolio links. You should also have a budget range prepared.
Reputation, style, and personality are some of the major things to consider when picking out your web designer. Do not just base your decision on degrees or professional experience, as there are students in the web design field who have the updated technology and are better at their craft overall than those who have been in the field professionally for years.
Acronym soup. Okay, now the tough part…what about all that jargon. Luckily you don’t have to know much about it. A professional web designer will have at least the following skills: Image editing, CSS3, XHTML, and possible javascript or knowledge of a javascript library such as jquery. You will need javascript if you would like moving parts. You will need to hire someone with Flash skills, possibly actionscript too, if you are planning on having a movie or interactive graphics and sounds.
Portfolios are a great way to judge your designer. If all of their work looks the same; do not hire them, as they are likely using templates or just not creative. Templates on the other hand can be purchased for half the cost of a designer but are often unoriginal and hard to work with.
CMS’s are also important if you plan to keep an updated site. These content management systems are available from blogs such as wordpress or professionals like Drupal. Make sure your designer knows how to skin images if you get a branded CMS so they can update your software.
After you choose a web designer you will need to create mock ups, or images that show how the website will look after it is completed. It is very important that you examine the mockups carefully before starting. Planning is the most important step in web development. After you and your developer agree on the mockups, your web designer should translate the images into valid XHTML and CSS. You can validate your web designers XHTML and CSS code online.
Filed under: Computers & Technology