How to Choose the best Web Designer / Developer

Being in business today means that you need to have a website. If you don't have a website, your business will be conspicuous by it's absence from the world wide web. But your site must also reflect your Company's brand image and values as well as become a showcase for your products and services. A website in today's marketplace is A Business Card or Brochure in every home & office in the country and a Storefront in every town.

As a result, Web design and Development is one of the most popular tasks being outsourced today.
And because of this, there are countless freelancers and web design Companies offering their services. The sheer number of options make it difficult to choose. Here are some guidelines to help you choose the best web designer for your needs.

Skills

Is the designer equipped with the right skills for the job? You could ask for educational history, work record, some samples of past work. Remember though that it is not unusual for a web designer or developer to have no specific qualifications, due to the newness of the www and it's recent exponential growth. So you are looking for evidence that they have the skills required to produce a website that functions inline with industry standards and usability. Do they display the BWDD seal? Use our tools section to test a designers own site against some of the standards.

Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of a Designer’s best work. By studying a portfolio, you’ll get an idea about style, functionality and design.

Business Acumen

An excellent designer or developer, who has little understanding of the commercial world, may struggle to understand and accurately interpret your business goals. Find out what their business experience is and see how well they understand business operations, finance, marketing and sales.

Like-mindedness

There is nothing more frustrating than a website designer who is on a different wavelength to you. The perfect website project requires a meeting of the minds between the client and the designer.

Communication

Communication is critical, so find out early on how well they listen, understand and communicate with you. If there is a lack of understanding early on, it is unlikely to improve during the project.

Support

What level of support, advice and training will you receive during and after the project? How will they respond if you are not happy with any element of the design, or if you need to change the content at the last moment?

Location

The nature of the world wide web means that your chosen website professional does not necessarily need to be local to you. It is possible and often cheaper, to appoint a designer who will work remotely, communicating via email and telephone. However, many businesses still value face to face contact highly and if that is so in your case, then you should look for a business within a 50 mile radius which is prepared to visit you for key decisions and sign-off meetings etc.

Price

There is a reason why this is placed last. Often, in website design and development, you get what you pay for. If you make price your primary consideration, you may be limiting yourself to freelancers or Companies who produce low quality work, or those who have yet to prove themselves. A website, as we’ve discussed earlier, is a very important component of your business. Do not take chances with it. See our article "How much should a website cost" to help you gauge the cost.
A web designer will be your partner for success, so it is essential that you hire the right one for the job.