Web Design: When to DIY and When to Hire

No matter who you are, everyone seems to need a website, and that often means hiring a designer, developer, or agency to do some work for you. But how do you know when you need to hire someone to help and when you can do it yourself? And if you do hire someone, how do you communicate about something that is outside your realm of experience, much less help direct the project to suit your business?

In this webinar, design expert Michelle Schulp will unmask the “magic” of web design and learn to ask constructive questions, give useful feedback, and develop a collaborative relationship that will benefit both of your businesses.

Transcript

1. AND WHEN TO HIRE: WEB DESIGN WHEN TO DIY
2. @marktimemedia I Design & Build DIGITAL INTERFACES Rockstar at saying stuff. Carefully curated spontaneity. Adorable badass. Master suitcase packer & marshmallow roaster. Accidental fitness buff. HI, I’M MICHELLE.
3. @marktimemedia WHY WE’RE HERE @marktimemedia
4. @marktimemedia WHY WORK WITH A PROFESSIONAL?
5. @marktimemedia CAN DIY YOUR SITE when you
6. @marktimemedia SHOULD SEEK HELP when you
7. @marktimemedia CUSTOMIZATION @marktimemedia
8. @marktimemedia Flickr: Nick Sherman COMPLEXITY @marktimemedia
9. @marktimemedia KNOWLEDGE @marktimemedia
10. @marktimemedia MISSION CRITICAL @marktimemedia
11. @marktimemedia become an EXPERT WORDPRESS USER
12. @marktimemedia BEFORE YOUR PROJECT STARTS
13. @marktimemedia PROJECT DUE DILLIGENCE @marktimemedia
14. @marktimemedia WINS? what are your
15. @marktimemedia DEFINE PROBLEMS PRESCRIBING SOLUTIONS without
16. @marktimemedia BUSINESS DUE DILLIGENCE @marktimemedia
17. @marktimemedia FINALIZE INVOLVED who needs to be
18. @marktimemedia PREPARE YOUR COMPANY for outside help
19. @marktimemedia CHOOSING A PROFESSIONAL
20. @marktimemedia FREELANCER? CONTRACTOR? TEAM? AGENCY? @marktimemedia
21. @marktimemedia FREELANCER/INDEPENDENT • Could be a specialist or a generalist • Works on their own time/equipment • Self-managed • Managing multiple clients • Communicates directly with you, on their schedule • Rates vary based on experience
22. @marktimemedia CONTRACTOR • Often specialized • Works onsite for pre-determined time alongside you or your team • Requires proper equipment while onsite • Needs to be managed • 100% dedicated to you while on-site • Rates vary based on experience
23. @marktimemedia TEAM/AGENCY • Group of independents or full-service agency • Combination of experiences and skillsets • More resources & flexibility • Can often manage multiple parts of a project • Communicating with account or project managers whose job it is to interface with clients • More expensive
24. @marktimemedia DEMYSTIFYING JOB TITLES @marktimemedia
25. @marktimemedia WORDPRESS DESIGNER • Usually: Aesthetics, interface, experience • Sometimes: Theme development, frontend markup/styling languages and/or Javascript, other design field experience • Related: UI/UX Designer, Theme Designer Choose this person if: Your project requires a very strong visual language
26. @marktimemedia WORDPRESS DEVELOPER • Usually: Interactive/programming logic • Sometimes: Design/Styling experience, appliction/integration experience, other programming languages • Related: Frontend Developer, Backend Developer, Theme Developer, Plugin developer Choose this person if: Your project has complex functionality or integration requirements
27. @marktimemedia WORDPRESS IMPLEMENTOR • Usually: Combines existing solutions to solve problems • Sometimes: development experience, design experience, content writing experience • Related: Integrator, Consultant Choose this person if: You want to build your project out of recommended existing solutions but aren’t sure where to look
28. @marktimemedia SEO CONSULTANT • Usually: Recommending, optimizing, implementing and tracking SEO efforts • Sometimes: development experience, design experience, content writing experience, social media strategy, external campaigns • Related: SEO Strategist, Search Engine Marketer Choose this person if: You have an existing site or are in the process of redeveloping a site
29. @marktimemedia WORDPRESS EXPERT Usually: means objectively nothing!
30. @marktimemedia DON’T FORGET THE REST! CONTENT: Writers, Photographers, Animators, Videographers OUTREACH: Email campaigns, social campaigns, Newsletters, Marketing ONGOING: Security, maintenance
31. @marktimemedia WHO TO HIRE? @marktimemedia
32. @marktimemedia LARGER PROJECT: TEAM MULTIPLE SKILL SETS
33. @marktimemedia SMALLER PROJECT: INDIVIDUAL SPECIALIZED SKILL SET
34. @marktimemedia MULTIPLE INDEPENDENTS a note on
35. @marktimemedia LET’S TALK ABOUT MONEY
36. @marktimemedia WE NEED TO KNOW YOUR BUDGET @marktimemedia
37. @marktimemedia PAYMENT TERMS • Hourly: exploratory work, billed after a set amount of time • Flat Fee: charged in increments including up-front deposit, final payment before product is delivered • Retainer: pay in advance on a schedule for ongoing work
38. @marktimemedia EVALUATING BIDS @marktimemedia
39. @marktimemedia TYPE OF SITE COST does not determine
40. @marktimemedia INFLUENCING PRICE • Four Factors (Customization, Complexity, Knowledge, Mission Critical) • Size/Scale/Scope • Timing & Availability • Cost of Doing Business • Value of Final Product • Difficulty/Ease of Working With YOU
41. @marktimemedia ASK QUESTIONS @marktimemedia
42. @marktimemedia BID COSTS FINAL are not always @marktimemedia
43. @marktimemedia A QUOTE IS LIKE A HOME INSPECTION @marktimemedia
44. @marktimemedia GIVING QUALITY FEEDBACK
45. @marktimemedia DESIGN FEEDBACK Start with evaluating look and feel Evaluating design as a series of increasingly specific systems/rules Evaluate clarity and communication Remember it’s for your audience, not for you Be specific! Ask questions! Good designers can always answer “why?”
46. @marktimemedia DEVELOPMENT FEEDBACK Focus on “how it works.” Evaluate cross-platform usability and consistency of experience rather than pixel perfection Explain what you expect to happen in addition to what is actually happening Be specific! Ask questions! Good developers can always answer “why?”
47. @marktimemedia RESOURCES http://marktimemedia.com/category/clients
48. @marktimemedia RESOURCES http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/06/following-a-web-design-process/ http://thewc.co/articles/view/web-development-process-start-to-finish Mike Monteiro: You’re My Favorite Client
49. @marktimemedia QUESTIONS? Here’s how to get in touch: Michelle Schulp michelle@marktimemedia.com @marktimemedia bit.ly/diy-vs-hire ITHEMES WEBINAR SERIES: Web Design Bootcamp – March 26 & 27 WHERE TO FIND ME NEXT: