“The Cautious Seldom Err”: Tips on Hiring a Web Designer

Photo credit: cornflakegirl, via Flickr

Confucius says “The cautious seldom err.” These words can be applied to matters as practical as hiring a web designer or programmer for your next project.

We often hear unfortunate tales from clients who have hired a designer or programmer, only to be left with an unfinished project. There are also those cases when the project was completed, but the designer dodged out of town and left the client without any follow-up support.

With that in mind, we have assembled a list of questions and considerations for you to keep in mind before choosing a professional for your next project.

Some of these points come courtesy of other wise resources (cited below). Others come as a result of years of experience, and our share of heartaches, too.

How long has the web designer/programmer been in business? The longer, the better.
It’s best to hire a designer within driving distance to where you live. This makes it easier to meet with them, if necessary.
When you meet to interview the web designer, see if this individual understands your vision.
Clearly explain your time line, expectations for completion, goals and what your budget is.
Do you intend for the website to contain special elements such as video, podcasts, blogs? If so, ensure that the designer you are interviewing is capable of developing a site that supports those items.
Look for a designer who will help you pick the best host for your site (if you desire to move from your current one).
How many mock-ups of website designs will they provide for you to choose from, before you decide on a final version? Optimally, the designer will provide you with at least two designs to choose from.
How will the website be signed-off before it goes live? Will the designer keep you posted along the way?
Look for a designer who will charge a flat fee to develop your site. Some designers will charge based on the number of pages contained on your site – that’s ok. Just be clear on what the total cost will be, and what it includes.
How much do they charge for consecutive changes or updates, after the website design is finalized? Do they charge on a project basis or on an hourly rate? If so, what is their rate?
Avoid designers who use proprietary content management systems (CMS) to develop a site. Sites based on those systems are usually more difficult to migrate to a different server at a later date. In addition, some sites developed based on CMS are more difficult to optimize for search engine engines.
Will they provide you with a hard copy (that is, a CD) with all the website files – including HTML and image files?
How do they charge? Do not pay for all the work upfront. If needed, pay for at most half of the work in advance, with the remainder to be paid once the website is developed, delivered, live and approved. Another alternative is to pay for the designer’s work in thirds.
Look for a designer who has a “staging” site, where you will be able to preview your website before it is ready to be launched.
Do they have the necessary technical skill set required to develop the website? What programming languages do they know? (HTML, JavaScript, PHP, CSS, WordPress, Flash, etc.). Can they handle server-side or database components?
Ask for samples of work they have already done. Look to see if it looks good, if the website loads properly in different browsers (e.g. Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome), if the site performs the way you’d expect it to perform.
Do they have experience using programs such as Photoshop or Fireworks to create or modify images and graphics for the site? Can they produce original graphics/images?
If your designer says that they will use FrontPage to design your website, avoid them like the plague. Sites designed with this kind of program are usually not search engine friendly, and may not display properly across different browsers.
Ask for references and contact them to see if they are satisfied with the designer’s work. Find out if the designer was responsive, on budget, and on time.
Ask the designer to give you a time and cost estimate on the work you want them to do.
Ask for the range of services they will provide (Domain registration, setting up a hosting account, SEO, CGI (Common Gateway Interface) and database programming, etc.)
Ask them to open up the source code of a webpage they made previously and explain to you what each section of code does and why they decided to put it there. A good programmer should be able to give you a logical explanation that you can understand.
Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure your website design contract includes the following five vital areas:

The Work to Be Completed – What’s involved in the creation of your website? For example, will the designer be furnishing graphics or will you be providing your own photos? This is the “meatiest” part of the contract and outlines, specifically, what work will be done.
Timeframe for Completion – How long will it take? It’s a good idea to specify (or have your designer do this if you’re not sure), “milestones” that will need to be completed before you’ll release a portion of the payment to them. For example, many designers request a 1/3 down-payment to gather materials (such as domain registration, hosting, stock photos and so on). Then the second 1/3 is done upon your approval of the formatting template they will be using throughout the site. Having milestones like this ensures steady progress on the website while giving the designer reasonable payment for their work as they complete it. Timeframes also include a completion date. Not setting one (or asking the designer to set one that you both can agree on) means your project could go on forever!
Payment Details – How, When and How Much are the questions to be asked here. How will the designer be paid? (cheque, money order, Paypal…), when will they be paid and how much is due? Not specifying these terms could leave you with a hefty bill at the end of the job – for things that you were unaware of at the start!
Confidentiality and Copyright – Who owns the design once it’s finished? Designers often relinquish the copyright of the design to the client – but like to reference it in their portfolio as an example of the work they can do. That is ok. It’s important though that you own the website and its copyright. Often, working with a designer means you’ll be giving them private or confidential company information. If necessary, ask the designer to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) that states that they will not share the information you give to them as part of the project.
All The “Little” Extras – It’s a good idea to cover all the “little” extras that can add up to a big design bill. Specifically, ask about things like ongoing support, software updates, and content management. Will the designer train you (or your staff) to make changes to the site yourselves, or will you be paying them a monthly (or hourly) fee to do it for you? There are pros and cons to both, so be sure you know the costs and benefits associated with each one. Discuss this with your designer if you’re uncertain.

Thanks to these other sites for their share of great advice:
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2001/12/05/top-things-to-look-for-when-hiring-a-web-developer
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-1058660.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2250473_designer.html
http://www.foursquareinnovations.co.uk/software_development_and_ebusiness_articles/how_to_choose_a_web_designer.html
http://knol.google.com/k/sherice-jacob/how-to-find-and-work-with-a-web-designer/mq2vcds4gyar/2#

Guacira Naves, Online Marketing Strategist
@OnlineStrategy
With collaboration by Victor Chan