Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Web Developer Or Designer
Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Web Developer Or Designer
In today's digital world, the internet has become a competitive space. If a company's website is ugly to look at, difficult to navigate or hard to find, users will simply move on to a competitor's page. And yet, according to Robert Braune and Kevin Felsher, Directors at Thoughtcorp, a Johannesburg-based digital design, development and strategy agency, it's not that difficult to make sure your website remains relevant. The trick, they believe, is to keep it user-centric and to make sure that your designer or developer understands your business objectives.
"Before you even start looking to find someone to create a new website for you or redesign an existing one, you need to ask yourself what your users will want from the site," says Felsher. "So you need to know who will be accessing your site and what they will want to experience while they use it. This will define the features you have on the site, the content, the navigation and the look and feel."
Braune adds that the following are some questions you might want to ask yourself before looking to hire a designer or developer:
What is the purpose of my website?
How does it tie in with my business objectives?
Who will use my website?
What do users want from my site (to view my product range and prices, get a quote, buy a product, check out my credentials etc)?
Do I want or need to update content myself?
What is my budget?
Once you have some idea of what you want, you will be better equipped to brief a designer or developer. Before hiring a professional to help you with your site, Braune and Felsher recommend asking a few questions:
How will you solve my business problems and support my business objectives?
"It's not enough to have someone who can make your site look really good," says Braune. "You need to ensure that your designer or developer has a firm grip on what your business does, the challenges it faces and the objectives you are pursuing, as well as who your customers are and what they would want from your site. This will ensure that your site can be designed around your business strategy and your customers' requirements, making it as relevant as possible."
Felsher cites the example of the website that Thoughtcorp created for Parliament (www.parliament.gov.za). "We knew from the beginning that a challenge facing Parliament was how to present huge amounts of information in a dynamic way and that part of our task would be to make sure that users would be able to quickly and easily navigate the information available on the website," he says. "Knowing the client's challenge allowed us to design the look and feel, the navigation system and the range of features on the site in a way that would assist in solving a particular problem."
How will you tackle the content?
"A lot of people make the mistake of getting a web company to create a beautiful site template for them and then try to fill in the content around what's been designed at a later stage," says Braune. "This puts the horse before the cart. The primary function of a website is not to look pretty it's to effectively communicate content. Make sure that the content creation is a priority to your web team."
Do you have references?
Just as you would require references before hiring a new employee, so you should require references before hiring a web designer or developer. "Ask to see some sites that the web company has created for other clients," suggests Felsher. "This will give you a good idea of the designer or developer's ability to create something that functions well and looks good. But more than a portfolio of work, ask for contact details of a client or two. Chat to these clients to find out about how effective the site has been and what it was like to work with the website creators."
What happens if something goes wrong?
Braune believes that aside from technical skill in creating a website, your web company should be able to assist you with technical support. "Before you sign the deal, find out what level of support is available to you," he says. "You need to know what the process is if something goes wrong, whether you find an error in the content that you need corrected, or the whole site goes down. Find out who is in charge and who you would need to speak to for technical issues. Also find out from the beginning whether the quote you've been given is solely for the creation of your website, or if it includes any support once the site is complete. For example, is there an hourly fee to update content?"
Which web browser do you use?
"All of them,' is the right answer," says Felsher. "Your users are probably going to be utilising different browsers and your web company needs to make sure that everything works in all the different browsers."
Braune notes that there are other things you could ask, such as "Are you familiar with web standards?" or "Do you validate your code?" but the questions above should give you some idea of whether or not you want to work with a specific web designer or developer. "Don't be scared to ask lots of questions before you hire someone to do your website," he says. "Your website is the online representation of your company brand and you need to ensure that you protect that brand."
http://www.thoughtcorp.co.za
Swimming pool designers turn an average backyard into an ideal chill out zone Fortify Your Top Position With Web Design Fort Worth Use Logo Design Example To Create Your Unique Logo Tapestry Hunting Scenes Can Add Rustic Style To Any Decor Graphic Design Enhances Visual Attraction Stop Smoking Cigarettes For Good And Have A Better Lifestyle! Making Small Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Belly Fat Film Production Chicago Style Why Buy Wholesale Designer Clutches Angelina Jolie hairstyle and Latest haircuts Constant Updates In Designs Of Earings And Other Jewellery Items Keeps The Customers Interested Furnish Your Bedroom In Style With A Canopy Bed Frame Tips To Find The Best Wholesale Designer Clothing