Hiring a Web Site Developer: Top 10 Tips

Whether your firm is redesigning its existing Web site or creating its first site, hiring a developer can be an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. To make your redesign/development experience rewarding and to avoid misunderstandings, outline the scope of your project before obtaining proposals from Web site design firms. The benefits of such an initiative is that you can effectively compare Web site developer features, benefits, service scope and cost, and then make an educated decision. Providing the appropriate information and asking the right type of questions up front can save you a lot of headaches and drain on the firm's bank account. The information a Web site developer will want to know about your firm and the questions you will want to ask include the following.

1. Firm Overview

Prepare an overview of your firm that briefly describes its history, uniqueness, philosophy and practice. This description will give the developer a sense of the type of design and level of sophistication you want.

2. Content Outline

The developer will also want to know details regarding the specific content for the site, so it is best to give some thought as to the information you want to include or expand ahead of time. If you are dramatically expanding the content of your site, for example adding articles, video clips or podcast capability, the developer will need to know the parameters of that information as well. If you are working with a designer that does not have a lot of law firm experience, take care when engaging its writers, who can unknowingly prepare content that violates rules governing attorney advertising.

3. Project Timeline

Be sure to identify the desired completion date. The developer will want to know when you want to have the site completed and launched so that it can prepare an appropriate project timeline.

4. Design Experience

Keep in mind that there are a lot of people and companies out there promoting themselves as Web site developers. The key here is to select a firm that has both graphic design experience and a style that you like, as well as technical expertise that is necessary for the management of data and integration of the site with your firm's resources. Make sure to review representative examples of the Web site developer's projects. In addition to obtaining details regarding the design firm's experience, you will also want to know who from the design team will be assigned to your project, along with a summary of his or her background and experience.

5. Design Approach

You want your site to be seen the way it was designed, not a scaled-down version for those who do not have the technology to properly view the site. Therefore, it is important to ask the developer for an opinion as to the lowest common denominator, in the form of browser, connectivity and software limitations, to which the site should be designed.

6. Site Ownership

Ownership of your site is critical, and Web site developers have varying degrees of policies on this issue. Understand the design firm's policy regarding Web site development ownership. You own the text (words), but do you also own the interfaces, databases, graphics, logos or other artwork (e.g., photographs) that will be created for the site?

7. Site Maintenance

Ask about the developer's Web site maintenance program and how it proposes to efficiently handle updates. Depending upon the size of your firm, the developer may propose a database solution that can be managed easily by in-house personnel. For smaller firms, the developer may provide a site update service. In either case, ask about any technology required for site maintenance, hosting fees, licensing fees (that may apply to database driven Web sites that are not hosted by the developer), all of which typically add extra annual/ongoing costs.

8. Web Site Registration/Optimization

Once you have built it, you want clients, potential clients, referral sources, laterals and students to be able to find the site, and there are varying degrees of strategies that can accomplish this goal. To ensure that you understand what you are getting and paying for, ask the developer to describe its process for Web site registration and content optimization and any additional fees involved with this process.

9. Cost

Of course you will need an outline of costs broken out by: 1) design; 2) hosting; 3) site registration/optimization; and 4) maintenance, update or licensing fees. Also, ask the developer to identify any additional out-of-pocket costs, such as image or photography licensing, for which you may need to budget.

10. Tracking

Tracking the visitors to your site is absolutely critical to assessing site usefulness and identifying site enhancements. Therefore, ask the developer to include a sample tracking report as part of the proposal response. What you want to know is whether the tracking report can provide information as to who (by domain name) is looking at your site and what (specific pages) the visitor is viewing.

Conclusion

Last, don't forget to check references and interview the developer candidates. Interviews are typically done at the Web site development firm's expense. The developer needs to speak your language, so if after the interview you are even more confused, then think twice about hiring that particular firm.

Nancy Roberts Linder is the Principal of Nancy Roberts Linder Consulting, a law firm business development and client relationship management consulting practice, located in suburban Chicago. She can be reached at 708-482-0760 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Whether your firm is redesigning its existing Web site or creating its first site, hiring a developer can be an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. To make your redesign/development experience rewarding and to avoid misunderstandings, outline the scope of your project before obtaining proposals from Web site design firms. The benefits of such an initiative is that you can effectively compare Web site developer features, benefits, service scope and cost, and then make an educated decision. Providing the appropriate information and asking the right type of questions up front can save you a lot of headaches and drain on the firm's bank account. The information a Web site developer will want to know about your firm and the questions you will want to ask include the following.

1. Firm Overview

Prepare an overview of your firm that briefly describes its history, uniqueness, philosophy and practice. This description will give the developer a sense of the type of design and level of sophistication you want.

2. Content Outline

The developer will also want to know details regarding the specific content for the site, so it is best to give some thought as to the information you want to include or expand ahead of time. If you are dramatically expanding the content of your site, for example adding articles, video clips or podcast capability, the developer will need to know the parameters of that information as well. If you are working with a designer that does not have a lot of law firm experience, take care when engaging its writers, who can unknowingly prepare content that violates rules governing attorney advertising.

3. Project Timeline

Be sure to identify the desired completion date. The developer will want to know when you want to have the site completed and launched so that it can prepare an appropriate project timeline.

4. Design Experience

Keep in mind that there are a lot of people and companies out there promoting themselves as Web site developers. The key here is to select a firm that has both graphic design experience and a style that you like, as well as technical expertise that is necessary for the management of data and integration of the site with your firm's resources. Make sure to review representative examples of the Web site developer's projects. In addition to obtaining details regarding the design firm's experience, you will also want to know who from the design team will be assigned to your project, along with a summary of his or her background and experience.

5. Design Approach

You want your site to be seen the way it was designed, not a scaled-down version for those who do not have the technology to properly view the site. Therefore, it is important to ask the developer for an opinion as to the lowest common denominator, in the form of browser, connectivity and software limitations, to which the site should be designed.

6. Site Ownership

Ownership of your site is critical, and Web site developers have varying degrees of policies on this issue. Understand the design firm's policy regarding Web site development ownership. You own the text (words), but do you also own the interfaces, databases, graphics, logos or other artwork (e.g., photographs) that will be created for the site?

7. Site Maintenance

Ask about the developer's Web site maintenance program and how it proposes to efficiently handle updates. Depending upon the size of your firm, the developer may propose a database solution that can be managed easily by in-house personnel. For smaller firms, the developer may provide a site update service. In either case, ask about any technology required for site maintenance, hosting fees, licensing fees (that may apply to database driven Web sites that are not hosted by the developer), all of which typically add extra annual/ongoing costs.

8. Web Site Registration/Optimization

Once you have built it, you want clients, potential clients, referral sources, laterals and students to be able to find the site, and there are varying degrees of strategies that can accomplish this goal. To ensure that you understand what you are getting and paying for, ask the developer to describe its process for Web site registration and content optimization and any additional fees involved with this process.

9. Cost

Of course you will need an outline of costs broken out by: 1) design; 2) hosting; 3) site registration/optimization; and 4) maintenance, update or licensing fees. Also, ask the developer to identify any additional out-of-pocket costs, such as image or photography licensing, for which you may need to budget.

10. Tracking

Tracking the visitors to your site is absolutely critical to assessing site usefulness and identifying site enhancements. Therefore, ask the developer to include a sample tracking report as part of the proposal response. What you want to know is whether the tracking report can provide information as to who (by domain name) is looking at your site and what (specific pages) the visitor is viewing.

Conclusion

Last, don't forget to check references and interview the developer candidates. Interviews are typically done at the Web site development firm's expense. The developer needs to speak your language, so if after the interview you are even more confused, then think twice about hiring that particular firm.

Nancy Roberts Linder is the Principal of Nancy Roberts Linder Consulting, a law firm business development and client relationship management consulting practice, located in suburban Chicago. She can be reached at 708-482-0760 or via e-mail at [email protected].