So, you’ve made the decision to enlist the services of a web professional – congratulations! However, before finalizing any agreements and entrusting them with your web page design, it’s crucial to conduct a thorough evaluation. After all, this individual will play a pivotal role in establishing your online presence for the world to see.
Beyond assessing their technical skills, it’s essential to gauge their ethics, responsiveness, professionalism, and communication proficiency to ensure they align with the qualities you seek in a collaborative partner.
While the task may seem daunting, you don’t need to channel your inner Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Watson. According to Harvard Business School Professor Amy Cuddy, people instinctively ask two fundamental questions upon a first encounter:
- Can I trust this person?
- Can I respect this person?
Let’s explore how to utilize these criteria as effective evaluation tools to determine whether a candidate is the right fit for your web page design project.
Trust: In Web Pros We Trust
Before delving into technical proficiency, trust, often referred to as “warmth” by psychologists, must be established. It’s imperative to believe that the web designer can be relied upon to deliver as promised. To assess their trustworthiness, consider these four questions:
- Does the designer focus on their core strengths?
- Beware of claims of expertise in every aspect of the internet, from design to development, writing, maintenance, app creation, social media, SEO, and e-commerce. A reliable web professional collaborates with others for complementary services.
- Does the designer offer customized solutions?
- Be cautious of flat per-page rates or fixed-price packages. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely meets the unique needs of each client.
- Has the designer committed to a career in web design?
- Scrutinize their background, education, experience, and the honesty regarding the size and scope of their business.
- Does the designer provide direct access to completed work?
- Ensure their portfolio includes live website links, allowing you to verify their work and design credits.
Respect: R-E-S-P-E-C-T and What It Means to Me
Once trust is established, shift your focus to the second aspect: assessing whether the candidate deserves your respect, or “competence” in psychological terms. Consider the following steps:
- Expect high quality.
- Scrutinize the designer’s site for attention to detail, as it reflects the quality of their work. Look out for issues such as spelling errors, broken links, “Coming Soon” pages, formatting problems, and outdated copyright dates.
- Confirm established clients in your market space.
- While experience in your exact market is advantageous, broader industry experience can also be valuable. Ensure the designer understands your specific needs.
- Assume initial interactions predict future professionalism.
- A prompt, relevant, and courteous response to your initial inquiry indicates professionalism. Beware of immediate quotes, as a thorough understanding of your needs is essential for accurate proposals.
- Evaluate communication skills from the start.
- An initial phone meeting is crucial to assess the candidate’s communication and interpersonal skills. Consider factors such as listening abilities, relevant questioning, preoccupation, interruptions, and the ability to explain technical information clearly.
- Ask for references about the process.
- In addition to reviewing the portfolio, seek references that provide insights into the designer’s responsiveness, courtesy, honesty, collaboration, and issue resolution.
Remember, unwillingness to provide references should be a red flag, prompting a reconsideration of the candidate.
