What to Look for in a Web Designer

So you've read Finding a Website Designer and you're ready to narrow down the field of eligible website designers for your project. It's time to ask some questions.

First Impressions

What do you think of a potential designer's own website? What about their portfolio of websites? Do their sites reflect the attention to detail in structure, design and usability that you expect to see in your own website?

Size Matters

Different web designers handle different sized projects. Can the design and development of your website be handled by a single person? Or will a broader range of skills be required to create your website? Using a web designer, or a large design team, with the capacity to handle your project can help insure that your budget and timeline are met.

Good Listener

How willing is a potential designer to listen to your needs and discuss the various options for your site, helping you form a more concrete understanding of the current capabilities of the web?

Style AND Substance

Are you drawn to a web designer's visual style, sense of layout, type treatment, ease-of-use, interface design and information structure? More importantly, is their style a good match for your audience?

Around for the Long Haul

Is your potential designer available to make future changes to your website, from large alterations to small tweaks? Alternatively, can they create a website that you can maintain yourself using a content management system?

Connections

You may think you only need a website, but a website often requires multiple talents, among them including logo design, copywriting, marketing, information architecture, or specialized programming. A designer may have an endless list of skills listed, but ask for specific examples of those skills which will be needed on your project. Also, find out if the designer has a network of graphic designers and copywriters that can tackle any tasks outside of their capabilities.