• Decrease font size
  • Reset font size to default
  • Increase font size

Newsletters

Newsletter


Receive HTML?

Home Business Online Business Searching For A Web Designer
Searching For A Web Designer PDF Print E-mail
Written by Stephen Grisham, Sr.   
Monday, 05 January 2009 11:01
Web design has changed a lot in the past few years. Now that "web 2.0" is in full swing, you need to choose your web designer carefully. Web design skills of the last decade do not apply today. Today's great web developers should also have lite programming knowledge such as javascript, in addition to a complete creative portfolio. As the Internet changes, choosing a web designer with a balance of artistic skills and adherence to web standards is the best option.
by StephenGrisham,Sr.


Web design has changed a lot in the past few years. Now that "web 2.0" is in full swing, you need to choose your web designer carefully. Web design skills of the last decade do not apply today. Today's great web developers should also have lite programming knowledge such as javascript, in addition to a complete creative portfolio. As the Internet changes, choosing a web designer with a balance of artistic skills and adherence to web standards is the best option.

Websites are difficult to manage for business owners as they are in many different languages. If you plan to make a website, think of the face of your company and then begin planning. Much like building your stores; web designing requires thorough planning.

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.

The essential elements of a good web designer are personality, reputation, creativity, and past work. Reputation is great to rely on as not all web designers have a degree. For example, students in the field of web designing are often freelancing and are more up to date on the new programs compared to those who have been in the field for years. This allows them to customize the websites more to your liking.

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.

If you plan on updating your site a lot and are unfamiliar with HTML, it is best to get a content management system. CMS's are available in simple blog sites and professional areas like Drupal. When choosing a brander CMS - make sure that your designer is a good skinner and can put newer images onto your software.

The final step in the planning (once you decide on your web designer) is to create mock ups. These are just the images of your website representing what it will look like when its finished. Examine these with caution before you let the designer transform them into CSS and XHTML. Validating their code online is never a bad idea, yet sometimes it is just simpler to look at the product when finished.

About the Author:

Stephen Grisham, Sr. is a Staff Writer for InfoServe Media, a Houston Web design company that provides professional web site design. Visit today, or call 1 (800) 838-2203 for a free quote.

Kindly provided by MoneyHunter.org
You are welcome to use this article on your own website, if you include the link just before this text.
 
Members : 2607
Content : 2689
Web Links : 1
Content View Hits : 254421