Arts and talents change as technology advances; especially in a field such as web design. Ever since the web 2.0 has really kicked in, finding a web designer who knows all of the latest web skills and knowledge of javascript is key to your success. Locating the perfect mixture of a creative and artistic designer with all of the scripting knowledge in most areas is by far the best choice.
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.
Once you decide what you need on your website it is time to locate your perfect web designer. Searching through the internet is the best option as it already is advertising their work along with other portfolios and reputations. Make sure you have your budget range handy as they often ask how much you will need to spend and this will determine the look of your project.
When seeking out a web designer, you should consider quality, reputation, portfolio, and personality. You may happen to find a person with very little professional experience, but a great reputation and history. Degrees and years of experience certainly factor in, but in many cases students currently freelancing are far better at web design than professionals who have 10 years experience, but none of it recent.
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.
Be wary of web designers who have an extensive portfolio of sites that all look the same, such as websites made fully in flash. These web designers are often using templates. You can purchase templates yourself, usually for a lot less than hiring a designer if you have the software or knowledge to edit these templates. However, templates are often avoided because they are frequently unoriginal.
You may need to consider a content management system if you plan on updating your website a lot and you do not know HTML. There are many CMS's available from simple blog sites like wordpress to professional CMS's like Joomla and Drupal. If you are choosing a branded CMS, be sure to choose a web designer with experience "skinning" (putting new graphics and images) on your particular brand of 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. - 16039
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.
Once you decide what you need on your website it is time to locate your perfect web designer. Searching through the internet is the best option as it already is advertising their work along with other portfolios and reputations. Make sure you have your budget range handy as they often ask how much you will need to spend and this will determine the look of your project.
When seeking out a web designer, you should consider quality, reputation, portfolio, and personality. You may happen to find a person with very little professional experience, but a great reputation and history. Degrees and years of experience certainly factor in, but in many cases students currently freelancing are far better at web design than professionals who have 10 years experience, but none of it recent.
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.
Be wary of web designers who have an extensive portfolio of sites that all look the same, such as websites made fully in flash. These web designers are often using templates. You can purchase templates yourself, usually for a lot less than hiring a designer if you have the software or knowledge to edit these templates. However, templates are often avoided because they are frequently unoriginal.
You may need to consider a content management system if you plan on updating your website a lot and you do not know HTML. There are many CMS's available from simple blog sites like wordpress to professional CMS's like Joomla and Drupal. If you are choosing a branded CMS, be sure to choose a web designer with experience "skinning" (putting new graphics and images) on your particular brand of 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. - 16039
About the Author:
Stephen Grisham, Sr. is a Staff Writer for InfoServe Media, a Houston Web design company that provides professional web design. Visit today, or call 1 (800) 838-2203 for a free quote.
