What do you look for in a Web Designer?

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What do you look for in a Web Designer?

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MatthewReinbold

posts: 14

Sep 19, 2006 12:41 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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huston,

To clarify: are you looking for my opinion on this site? While there are pros and cons (as always) that wasn`t really the focus of the thread. The point was to determine how web professionals (web designers, application developers, online marketers, SEO consultants, etc) can provide maximum value in a number of directions (cost, relationship, knowledge, creativity, etc).

If you`d still like to discuss this site lets start a new thread dedicated to that or contact me privately.

greenmentor,
Congradulations on starting your new endevours. I`m not sure exactly who you are addressing but I sent you a private email. Let`s talk. :)

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Creative Principal - Vox Pop Design http://voxpopdesign.com (801) 953-3805

CraigL

posts: 9051

Sep 20, 2006 12:12 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I know how geeks approach working with other developers. However I`d love to hear what really demonstrates value to the business crowd.

I think the perfect commercial, created for IBM, demonstrates the difference between the business (practical) view, and the geek (technical pyrotechnics) view.

The young Web developer/designer is going on about how there`s a flaming logo, Flash stuff, moving this, animated that, and whatever else he`s excited to show off.

The old guy looks at it, then with a bewildered look says, "All I want is that if someone buys an item, the system reduces my inventory by that order quantity."

There`s a long silence.....then the young Web guy---presumably a "geek"---says, "Oh. I don`t know how to do that."

That`s probably the best, and right up there with the UPS commercial for the three entrepreneurs who get swamped with orders the day their site goes live.

Being a "geek" isn`t derogatory. It means being in the back-office, or production side of technology. It`s being the "can do" person, not the sales or "rain-maker" person. Arthur Andersen, a global company despite what a couple of idiots did, split all of business into two types of people: production and sales. You can`t have one without the other, but it`s true that the production-technical people often can`t explain things in English. They often can`t put a context around the technology and associate it with the real world.

In any kind of technology, including Web development, you should have someone who understands how business relates to technology. One of the biggest problems in today`s IT departments---enterprise scale---is to find people who understand how technology relates to business processes, how technology can help business, and how to even talk with "the business" (side of the equation) when it comes to initiating new technology and architecture pilots.

Technology is supposed to serve human beings, not control them. The derogatory sense of "geek" only refers to someone who`s allowed themselves to be overwhelmed or taken in by the technology, forgetting for the moment why that technology even exists. But "The Geek Squad" refers to those who understand the need for a liaison between technical and non-technical people.

SheriB

posts: 2

Sep 20, 2006 8:27 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I`m happy to respond to this one! I was parousing the web for a web designer recently, played around with the "doityourselfer" sites. (Yuck, never as easy as they say) Then started looking into local directories of web designers so that I knew I`d be able to meet with the person to explain what I wanted. The biggest factor in deciding who to use is hands down - my initial split second opinion/impression of their very own website. I know it sounds cheezy, but I cannot trust my image to someone who`s not concerned with their own. I also check out their clients page and see some examples, if they all look like cookiecutter replicas of each other, he`s out. A website has to be the beginning of the sales process for me. It has to invite the user and welcome them to my business, make them want to move forward with me. I don`t care for all the flash and animation -- Personally I usually cick the "skip" button on these when I get to them.

Thats my input, hope it helps.

S. - New York

Bupulga

posts: 87

Sep 20, 2006 11:10 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Made a mistake. The comment is next. Sorry about that.

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jump! jump! jump!...didn`t it feel good!!!

Bupulga

posts: 87

Sep 20, 2006 11:28 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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#1 We speak english. (as in, not geeks-speak-jargon). That`s seriously one of the big things people say they like about us. When we talk about something, if a person doesn`t understand it, we explain it until it becomes clear. I didn`t realize other web companies didn`t do this.... but I guess not.

#2 Flexibility in offerings. We don`t really have "packages" per se, so we bring lots of offerings to the table and you choose what you want from that. We`ve tried to develop offerings for anyone - from the large business to the small one-person show. I think people also appreciate it that we don`t have any desire to sell you on something you don`t want. The last thing we want is for you to get in over your head with bills for stuff you didn`t need to begin with.

#3 Being mindful of clients` timelines. We may not always be lightning speed, but we work hard not to keep people waiting. We`ve recieved very nice compliments on this.

This, in addition to pricing structure, is to me right on the money.

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jump! jump! jump!...didn`t it feel good!!!

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