How to Hire a Web Developer - What to look for when evaluating web design companies

Web Development Hiring a Web Developer

Does your web designer pass these tests?

In the Internet gold rush of the late 1990s, many people were hurt by web design companies who took them for a ride while trying to make a quick buck. Here are some things to consider when looking for a reputable company that does quality work.

How long have they been in business? Were they around before the dot-com crash? One way to check is to look up their web site on the Internet Archive. Interprise Software has been in business since 1997. (Note: our previous domain name, interprisesw.com is no longer accessible on the archive.)
What is their skill set? Can they work with multiple programming languages and databases? Is web development their main service, or are they just doing it on the side? Beware of companies with a focus on print or photography. They may be able to produce pretty pictures, but designing for the web is completely different than designing for print. Compare with Interprise Software's advanced skill set.
Do they have their own website with an online portfolio? How many sites are in their portfolio?
Look at sites they have designed, including their own, and check these items:
- Does their code adhere to web standards? Enter their sites into the W3C's HTML Validator and see how many errors come up.* Validate this page.
- Do the sites have a professional look, and are they fast-loading and easy to navigate? Can you determine each site's purpose within a few seconds?
- Do the sites work in modern browsers other than Internet Explorer, such as Firefox or Safari?
- Do the sites degrade gracefully? In other words, do they work with JavaScript turned off, or without the Flash plug-in? Can you still navigate to all pages? Is the site still usable at a monitor resolution of 800 by 600?
- How do the web pages look when printed? Use your browser's Print Preview feature to see what a page would look like if printed.
- Do any access a database or have other advanced features? How fast are the database queries?
Does the company offer support services, such as website hosting or content management, or better yet, do they offer an easy way for you to maintain your own web site?
When evaluating quotations, consider the following:
- Does the quote show that they truly understand your project?
- Have they provided adequate detail, and do you understand the cost of each item?
- Is the price realistic? If a company says they can produce a full e-commerce site for less than $5,000, don't believe it!
Where does their site rank in the results of a relevant search?
Ask for references. When calling references, ask if the design company completed their site on time and within budget.

*Non-validating HTML is sometimes unavoidable, depending on the complexity of the site. Look at how many errors come up – many or only a few?

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		Web Development Hiring a Web Developer Does your web designer pass these tests? In the Internet gold rush of the late 1990s, many people were hurt by web design companies who took them for a ride while trying to make a quick buck. Here are some things to consider when looking for a reputable company that does quality work. How long have they been in business? Were they around before the dot-com crash? One way to check is to look up their web site on the Internet Archive. Interprise Software has been in business since 1997. (Note: our previous domain name, interprisesw.com is no longer accessible on the archive.) What is their skill set? Can they work with multiple programming languages and databases? Is web development their main service, or are they just doing it on the side? Beware of companies with a focus on print or photography. They may be able to produce pretty pictures, but designing for the web is completely different than designing for print. Compare with Interprise Software's advanced skill set. Do they have their own website with an online portfolio? How many sites are in their portfolio? Look at sites they have designed, including their own, and check these items: Does their code adhere to web standards? Enter their sites into the W3C's HTML Validator and see how many errors come up.* Validate this page. Do the sites have a professional look, and are they fast-loading and easy to navigate? Can you determine each site's purpose within a few seconds? Do the sites work in modern browsers other than Internet Explorer, such as Firefox or Safari? Do the sites degrade gracefully? In other words, do they work with JavaScript turned off, or without the Flash plug-in? Can you still navigate to all pages? Is the site still usable at a monitor resolution of 800 by 600? How do the web pages look when printed? Use your browser's Print Preview feature to see what a page would look like if printed. Do any access a database or have other advanced features? How fast are the database queries? Does the company offer support services, such as website hosting or content management, or better yet, do they offer an easy way for you to maintain your own web site? When evaluating quotations, consider the following: Does the quote show that they truly understand your project? Have they provided adequate detail, and do you understand the cost of each item? Is the price realistic? If a company says they can produce a full e-commerce site for less than $5,000, don't believe it! Where does their site rank in the results of a relevant search? Ask for references. When calling references, ask if the design company completed their site on time and within budget. Non-validating HTML is sometimes unavoidable, depending on the complexity of the site. Look at how many* errors come up – many or only a few?