With the recent re-design of my website, this seems like the perfect time to talk about how to find the web designer that’s just right for you.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve met and worked with quite a few.
One developed a brand new website for me in as little as 15 weeks.
Another took almost 2 years.
Each time, I’ve worked with a designer, I’ve learned as much about me as I have about her.
One of my favorite designers is Kat Love.
Her aesthetics speak to me . . . and her willingness to engage speaks to me.
And, today, I’m hoping that she speaks to you, too, as she shares how to shop for and choose your web designer.
____________________
A Guest Post by Kat Love
There are good web designers and there are bad web designers.
And I’m not just talking about design choices that they make like colors and fonts but also the level of service provided.
How organized they are, their communication styles and the systems and processes they have in place can be the difference between an enjoyable journey and a miserable one.
It would be super easy if web design wasn’t a process . . . if design wasn’t a process of discovering who you authentically are, how you help others, and how to communicate this information to the world . . . if design was like math, 1 + 1 = 2.
But it isn’t that simple.
You are going to get into a relationship with your designer.
And much like online dating, it’s easier to find a date if you have a set of criteria on which to judge potential dates.
Tall?
Check!
Handsome?
Check!
Ph.D. in the art of post-green-smoothie-basket-weaving while freediving in the shark infested waters of the golden coast?
Check!
The Big 8
So here is a suggested set of criteria for 8 things to look for when you’re embarking on a search for a web designer, a web designer who will design with intention, organization, and care.
1. Deep Reasoning
They design with deep reasoning behind their choices
Find an interesting detail or two about their previous designs and ask them why they chose to design it like that.
“So I noticed you used a lot of orange in that design, why did you choose that?”
If they say: “It’s pretty” or “It’s trendy” or “It was the client’s favorite color” then you want to walk the other way.
A good answer would be something like, “Since the website was designed with those with social anxiety in mind, we wanted to use a color that is both warm and motivating.”
2. Right Questions – Right Time
2They ask questions – and at the right time
In most cases, a good designer will not hand you a project proposal or project estimate until they’ve interviewed you.
Part of a web designer’s job is to discover what you really need and find a solution to fit you.
Otherwise, you’re receiving something generic.
In which case, you may want to ask yourself why you’re hiring a designer at all!
The benefit of hiring a designer is getting something bespoke and the only way they will be able to do that is discovering what you need.
3. Availability
They’re available.
This is both if they are available to design at the right time for you as well as if they are available during the design process.
Is the designer booked out for the next 6 months?
Is your designer going to be working on your design in the Himalaya’s and be offline?
Does your designer offer times and days they will be reachable by skype or email?
There is no one-size-fits-all schedule or type of communication here.
Figure out how much contact you need and find a designer that has a matching communication style.
4. The Design Process
They share what the design process is like.
I love Taquerias!
But if I had never been to one, it would be nice if someone said, well, hey, first you pick out a tortilla, I warm it up for you, then we choose the beans that you’d like, then I go saute veggies for you, then you get to choose the fresh fillings like guacamole and salsa, and I have to stop with this analogy because I’m getting hungry but . . . you get the idea.
Just like there’s a process to making a burrito, it’s nice to know upfront what process your designer will be using to make the website.
What’s the first step?
What happens after that?
When do you pay?
How long will it take?
5. Experience with Therapists
They have experience designing for your field.
Every designer doing amazing work does research.
And a lot of it.
In order to make a successful design, the designer needs to know a thing or two about who they are designing for and the field they are in.
What conventional things are found on websites from professionals in the same field?
How can they make you stand out from your competition?
How can they communicate what sets you apart from the rest?
All of these answers are more apparent to a designer who specializes, or at least has experience, designing websites for your profession.
If you’re a therapist and you find a web designer that designs websites for architects, could that designer work their butt off researching you and your field to develop informed designs?
Sure.
But a designer already specialized in your field will already have already worked in the design space of your profession.
6. The Timeline
They provide a timeline.
This is a great test to how organized a designer is.
Do they provide a project timeline?
If they do, it shows that they know their process and also tuned into the timing and needs of the client.
How long does it take for them to design a first mock up?
How long do revisions take?
A good designer will be able to give you at least approximate timing.
7. Clarity about Designer Skills
They’re honest and clear about their skillset.
There are a ton of things that go into designing and building a website.
It’s not just the designing.
It’s also things like copywriting, logo design, and information architecture.
If you notice any hesitation or non-clarity about a designer’s skills, it may be that they aren’t being honest.
You want your designer to be 100% clear and upfront about their capabilities.
If someone has a skill set that is too good to be true, it’s likely that it isn’t true.
Look for someone specialized in a few things and not someone that can do all the things poorly.
A sneaky designer will just say yes and mangle the job in order to get the money.
A good designer will refer you to a someone else.
8. Ongoing Support
8. They offer some ongoing support.
Is the designer going to make a website and bail?
In most cases, you will want a designer to be there for you in the future.
Hopefully nothing breaks but if it does, are they going to be around?
What about updates?
What if you want to add a new page to your website with a new design?
Is this designer going to be there for you?
Or, will you have to go through the process of finding a designer all over again?
(That would suck).
The Process . . .
There is a process to getting to a beautiful, effective website and you want to be sure that that process is as fun and productive as possible.
You want to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
You want to make sure they are using their [design] expertise to really attract your clients.
You want to make sure your web designer cares about you, the process, the product, and the life of your website once the project is complete.
Even though there are so many designers to choose from, using this list as a guide will help you narrow things down.
It is possible to find someone who is skillful, open, honest, and supportive of your practice and it’s strategic online growth.
Now It’s Your Turn
If you are currently seeking a web designer for your private practice website, let me know how it’s going.
Is the list above helpful?
Does it add any useful insights that you hadn’t yet considered?
Or, if you’ve found a web designer that you are happy with, I would love to know in the comments below what was it about them that made you choose them?
Based on your experience, what tips would you give to another private practitioner who is trying to find a web designer?
____________________
About the Author: Kat Love, founder of www.katlove.com,
builds and designs websites to help psychotherapists grow
their practice’s online presence. Kat’s appreciation of therapists
stems from the powerful healing that therapists helped her
achieve following childhood sexual abuse and neglect.
The timeliness of this post is nothing short of amazing as just before bed I was searching for web designers specializing in therapist sites to recreate mine. This was extremely helpful as I begin to communicate with potential designers. Thank you!!!
Thanks, Dawn, for taking time this morning to let us know that this is helpful to you!
One of the things that I’ve learned about working with web designers (and developers) is that they will likely charge you – unlike therapists – for their learning curves.
Here’s what I mean . . . .
When therapists get a client that requires the therapist to learn something new to support that client, we pick up a book or consult or take a class, right?
We don’t pass that direct cost on to that client.
However, if you ask your web designer to do something that she is not familiar with, she may be happy to pick up a book, consult or even take a class to learn that new thing but she’ll likely pass that direct cost on to you . . . even though it is now a skill that she can use with future clients.
The first couple of times this happened to me, I was mad – really mad!
But, now I understand that this is “nickel and diming me to death;” this is simply a different work culture and it’s best to go in with your eyes wide open.
Kat’s list is incredibly helpful – not just for interviewing potential designers but also for interviewing her references, too.
Dawn, I hope when you get that beautiful new website up, you’ll drop back in to share it right here!
Hey Dawn,
So happy this post was well-timed for you!
Tamara is describing something that fits into what I mentioned in the post about finding a designer that has experience in your field and also one that keeps it real when it comes to the skills they do and don’t have.
If you can find a designer who already has the skills you need (and is honest about it) they shouldn’t be charging you for their learning because it’s already been learned and perfected in their processes.
I hope that makes sense. And hope you find a great fit designer for you!
Peace,
Kat Love
Hi, Kat! Thanks so much for writing this guest post and for staying engaged in this discussion.
I so appreciate having your perspective on this.
Are you saying that even though I might have been asking for a feature that has absolutely nothing to do with my profession per se – like wanting a plugin that does X – I shouldn’t expect a developer to charge me for researching which ones do X and which one might be best for me?
Hey Tamara,
No thank you for blogging awesome and for letting me be a guest in this space! I appreciate you!
If you’re asking for something that is outside of the typical project that a developer does then there are a few things that might have to happen:
1. The designer/developer would charge you to pick up the skill themselves and execute it.
2. The designer/developer would hire a consultant themselves (contractor) to do the research and/or carry out that part of the project. So the designer/developer would then be managing that part of the project for you but with another consultant on your behalf.
3. The designer/developer would refer you out to someone else who is already versed in whatever functionality you’re seeking either for that piece of the project or maybe to do the project entirely. So in this case, you’d be in charge of managing the new designer/developer and the first designer/developer would step out of that part of the project in part or entirely.
But none of this should be a surprise mid way through a project! A designer/developer should not move forward with a project without being completely clear about what your needs are. If something you needed was outside of the scope of their skill set, they ought to outline the three options above for you, including the costs, before any deposit is paid or any work is started.
This is where it’s really important to find a designer/developer who is up front and honest about what their skills are. Unfortunately, some will just offer option 1 as if it’s the only way – but it’s really not.
I hope this is more clear Tamara. And I hope it helps therapists know more about how to find a good fit.
Peace,
Kat
Yep! Thank you.
That makes total sense to me AND a mental health professional here in the USA typically would not charge her client for any of those things if she had to do something similar in her field.
It’s just a different culture that I was not anticipating.
Of course, your point about having those discussions up front make total sense; however, if the designer is operating from her cultural norm and the therapist is operating from a different cultural norm, . . . Sometimes those things can get muddy.