There are a number of things for you to consider when the time comes for you to choose a design company for your web site. A great list of questions to ask yourself and the prospective company can be found on Paul Boag’s web site. Paul is a founder of the UK design company Headscape and has many resources for beginner web designers, and those considering outsourcing their web site. He co-produces a free podcast I highly recommend you listen to, as well. Don’t worry - the information he provides is very low-tech and easy to understand, and is helpful to anyone with a web site. You will also get some good ideas about what you can do with your web site. Here are just a few of the questions he suggests you ask:

Are they a full time web design company?
A strange question to start with I know but it is one worth asking. There are a surprising number of students working out of their parents’ back bedroom. If you have a limited budget that might be fine, but if you are talking about a serious web development project these kinds of groups will get out of their depth very quickly.

How many people are in the company?
The size of the company is a good indication of its capabilities but also of its overheads. A large company is often unresponsive and tends to have a higher charge out rate. A one-man band can be much cheaper and keener to please but can sometimes be overwhelmed by larger more complex projects. Look for a company that is of the size that best suits your project.

What is their portfolio like and can you view the live sites?
You must see some published work. Starting with the design company’s own web site, and some of their clients’. Do you like them? Are they visually appealing? More importantly, are they easy to use. Also check that they are capable of tailoring their designs to fit the client and that they don’t have too strong a house style.

Do they have clients willing to talk to you?
Is their service of a standard that their clients will recommend them? If they are good and competent designers then they should have clients who are prepared to discuss their experiences.

Do they have long-term clients?
Not only does the presence of long term clients demonstrate a high level of customer satisfaction, it also shows an understanding by the web design company of the need to build sites for the long-term. All web sites have to grow and evolve over time and agencies that work with clients over the long-term know how to design a site flexible enough to change with the company’s requirements.

In addition to Paul’s questions, you should consider a few other things..especially if you are a small or home business:

Are you comfortable working with the designer?
Are you able to communicate with them easily?
Do they seem to understand your needs?

And finally, have you thought out what it is you want your web site to accomplish, and are you prepared to provide the needed information to the designer? Tomorrow, I will post a check list and questionnaire of items and information to have ready to give your chosen designer.