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Choosing A Designer

Use these techniques to find a design firm and build a solid, successful partnership with them.

Define your vision. Your company will need to define the vision that the designers need to create. What is the vision? What is the content? What websites do you like? What websites do you hate and why? If you produce a clear vision, then you will be able to state precisely what you want your design firm to produce.

Do competitor and user research. Visit as many competitor sites and find the best two. Then define what can make you better than them. Find out what type of users will be using your site. With knowledge of these areas, you will better be able to find a design firm that will be able to provide the look and interactivity needed for your users.

Find a design firm to fit your needs. Once you have defined your vision and user base, you will be able to find the designers that fit your needs. Some design firms will try to promise you the world, but be wary. Instead, look for a company that has strengths where your weaknesses are. If you are able to write great copy, but have no idea about layout, then choose a graphical design firm. Also consider that price usually reflects the quality of the result.

Define your goals. Work together with your designers to define your goals. They should be able to provide clear guidelines and launch dates for your website. You will also need to define what will make the site a success - the approval of your boss or a deadline for product launch. Making your goals known will make it easier for all involved to reach them. It will also allow the designers to break the project apart into smaller sections.

Require documentation. Make sure the design firm provides complete and clear documentation of the website so you will know how to use it and possibly make future modifications. If the designers do not provide you with a manual, then there will be problems in the future, especially if the designers suddenly disappear. For this reason, you should demand notes on styles and graphical elements, as well as a complete backup of the site on disk.

Designate a project manager. Give the design firm a name of one person to communicate. This person should be able to make decisions and have the ablility to contact other people working on the project. Also tell your designers your communication preference - daily email, weekly phone calls, and also timely proofs of work completed.

Communicate your concerns. If you are unsure of the direction the website is going, raise your concern as soon as possible. This will allow for smoother work flow and your project will be completed on time. A successful design takes a lot of time and relations. Remember these tips when you find the right designers for your site.

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