Article Advise

submitted: Jul 30th 2008 | by: RobinPorter | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 525 | |

Remember how the web looked like just five years ago ? Almost no dynamic content (with the exception of Flash content that took a great while to load, and everyone was avoiding it), almost no taste in the way websites were designed and almost no stability at all.

Nowadays, things are a lot different ? we are in the web 2.0 era, and rapidly approaching web 3.0. Since web designing is quite a profitable business, it was inevitable for so-called designers to appear everywhere. Thanks to already-built designs and how-to guides, almost anybody that knows what web design is, can make a website . The problem appears when we discuss quality.

You need a web designer because you want a professional website built for your website. And this means opting for established designers, rather than those who are still learning. (Granted there are many talented new guys learning the craft, but you need to think carefully before becoming one of their "test projects" - your business is important to you after all). You must ensure they deliver the basics of web design - a user friendly, visually appealling website that loads very quickly.

Usability is another factor that you must pay attention to - you don't want visitors leaing your site in droves because they can't find what they are looking for. For this, a professional designer is vital - selecting purely on the cheapest price will cost you more money in the long term, due to the potential loss of business. Here's what you need to consider:

? Open-minded ? It is very important that your web designer is open-minded. Obviously, you hired a web designer because you cannot do the job yourself, but that does not mean your opinions do not count. See if he listens to all your ideas and at this point, he should try to incorporate only the best of them. Allow him to explain why one idea or another does not fit the whole plan, and allow him to come with his own ideas too. Rather than making it a one-mind plan, why not put two minds at work.

* Good and quick - It doesn't matter how long the deadline is, you always want to make sure progress is being made towards completion. Request he completes the work in stages (and details how long each stage will take). Review each stage as you go, to make sure he is completing everything as you want it.

* Is he promoting usability? As we discussed, your business needs a website that your customers find useful - it should not be glittery and flashy at the expense of usability. Make sure he understands this - if he seems to intent on selling you all the "bells and whistles" then walk away.

Finding the perfect web designer is near impossible, however checking his past works before agreeing to the deal will tell you a lot about the way he works. Of course, you will find out more after you start working with him, however keep in mind if there is something that simply does not make him a good web designer for you, end the deal as soon as possible.

About the Author

Robin Porter is CEO of Arpey Internet : an established uk web design company that specialises in building web sites that attract customers, and in particular focuses on web design london

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