Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Searching For A Web Designer

By Stephen Grisham, Sr.

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.

Web designing is often not updated in smaller businesses as it is difficult to manage. Creating anything on the web is a difficult task unless you understand the many different languages that computers dish out. After you decide you need to add or update your website; plan ahead. Start with the face of the company, the real image. Web designing is a craft just like engineering - plans are essential, followed by the craftsmanship to put it all together.

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.

Jargon is something you will not have to worry about as a quality web designer will need to have skills in the following; image editing, XHTML, javascript, and CSS3. However javascript is only necessary for moving animations. Any sort of movie clips or interactive elements often require someone with flash or actionscript skills.

When choosing the web designer make sure you look over their portfolio carefully. If all of their sites look the same, that means template - and do not choose them. Templates can just be purchased by you and for a fraction of the price. These are very unoriginal and do not look as good as a creative web designer could make your site look.

If you plan on updating your site a lot and are unfamiliar with HTML, it is best to get a content management system. CMS's are available in simple blog sites and professional areas like Drupal. When choosing a brander CMS - make sure that your designer is a good skinner and can put newer images onto your software.

After you choose a web designer you will need to create mock ups, or images that show how the website will look after it is completed. It is very important that you examine the mockups carefully before starting. Planning is the most important step in web development. After you and your developer agree on the mockups, your web designer should translate the images into valid XHTML and CSS. You can validate your web designers XHTML and CSS code online. - 16747

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