Recently someone asked me this:

“I’m looking to hire a local web designer. What qualifications should I be looking for?”

Make sure you understand the difference between “web designer” and “web developer” before reading as it is the source of a lot of confusion.

Assumptions

Assuming that by “web designer” we mean someone who will produce a site end-to-end, our main question is pretty basic but one that everyone eventually will need to ask when dealing with web designers. My simple answer is ask to see a portfolio and follow it up with technical questions. In both cases what to look for depends on your project needs.

Your project likely will fall into one of these categories:

- static website (aka: business card site)
- blog
- custom database driven site (business forms, user profiles, etc.)
- e-commerce

Regarding technical questions, you should get some knowledge about the technologies out there. I will discuss related technologies for each scenario below.

As with anything, there are going to be trade-offs. In this case there are a number of variables that effect your final decision. They include budget, complexity, category (see above), technology options, and others. I’ll go through each scenario and discuss what the options are. First be aware that in most cases, there are technology options, such as blogging or e-commerce platforms which are appropriate for certain categories. The purpose of their existence is to prevent you from having to hire someone to build a site from scratch. If in the case that you have such a unique set of requirements, refer to scenario #4 below.

Scenarios

Scenario 1.) You have a limited budget, you need a static site, and you’re flexible on the look and features.

You probably can get away with hiring “a friend of friend’s kid who does websites”. I’d recommend using a blogging platform like WordPress, SquareSpace, or Typepad. There are a host of others as well. If your friend’s kid knows any of these platforms already - all the better. By using a blogging platform, you can get away with using pre-made themes and plugins, and still be able to modify the content on your own. Many places online will set up a Wordpress site with a theme and plugins for a fixed fee.

The technologies your designer will need to have experience with at this point may be just basic HTML but could include CSS.

Scenario 2.) You have a limited budget, need a static site, but you want a custom design.

As with most things - you get what you pay for. If you want to start asking for something custom, it’s quality is likely going to be relative to the amount you are willing to spend. This doesn’t mean if you pay the same designer more, you’ll get a better design. It means, you’ll be able to approach more companies or freelancers and be able to afford to choose the better designs. My company Tallan is available for this type of work.

Your designer is going to need to know HTML, CSS, and be able to produce graphics using a program like Adobe Photoshop. They may also have varying knowledge of JavaScript.

Scenario 3.) You have a limited budget, are starting up a new business, need a custom design, with e-commerce, maybe some social networking features…

You need to speak with a professional web development company. In most cases you’ll find that boutique design shops will specialize on one platform or another such as Drupal, Joomla, WordPress, Zen Cart, osCommerce, Monster Commerce or Magento. However, they might not specialize in the most optimal combination of platforms and won’t likely recommend you to a firm that does. In most cases, the company you approach will build a proposal for you using the technologies they know. Additionally, they might be such specialists in one platform that their rates make them a good fit only for projects that heavily take advantage of that platform.

A company like Tallan has the benefit of having many specialists available and likely has experience with more platforms than many boutique design shops combined.

My advice is to do some research on the technologies out there. Get acquainted with the terms and questions to ask for. It’s not like trying to learn how an engine works before taking your car to the garage. All this information is freely available on the web, just spend several hours reading and you’ll have enough knowledge to start asking for quotes.

Scenario 4.) You truly have a unique idea which requires a complete custom production, oh and you have a limited budget.

We get that you have a limited budget. It’s part of every introduction nowadays, “Hi my name’s John, I have a limited budget.” Nice to meet you.

You’ll need to speak with a professional development company (such as my company: Tallan). They can help you flesh out your ideas, produce a development plan, and dedicate professionals to every aspect of your project. Most importantly they can help you determine what options will fit your budget. Maybe you can’t have everything you want at first. A company like Tallan, can produce a progressive plan which allows you to get your core features produced first. As your site grows, you can then add more features.

Conclusion

I hope this information has been helpful. It’s not intended to be an HR manual but hopefully you’ll feel a little more empowered to move ahead with your project. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or leave a comment below.