There’s perhaps no bigger single decision affecting the outcome of your Web site than deciding on who will build it. It takes a talented
Web site designer to properly represent your business in digital form. Unfortunately, because modern Web design tools make it so easy to whip up a site, too many businesses try to save money by taking shortcuts.

Although businesses may save hard dollars by foregoing professional Web development services, they don’t realize that a poorly developed Web site can have a negative impact on their business and their ability to win potential clients and customers. People aren’t always forgiving of established businesses that have poorly designed Web sites.

Those charged with building a professional Web site must be equal parts designer, developer, information architect, and marketer. It requires expertise in the following fields:

Here's a look at the pros and cons of developing your Web site in-house or outsourcing the job:

In-house: Are You Ready to Do it Yourself?

Those tasked with the responsibility of building a Web site must have an understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts associated with Web development. You won’t do yourself or your business any favors by leaving the job in the hands of a Communications intern with a dog-eared copy of Learn Dreamweaver in 10 Days. So before you commit to building your own Web site, answer these keys questions first:

Do you have the expertise to do this?

This is the deal-breaker. If you don’t have the expertise to build a Web site you don’t even need to answer the other questions. As mentioned earlier, the person or team responsible for building a site must employ design, development, marketing, and communications techniques equally. If the person or team is lacking in any of these areas, your professional Web site will end up looking anything but.

Do you understand the technologies and the tools?

Web sites can be built with many different technologies (e.g., XHTML/CSS, Flash, ASP, PHP, AJAX) and just as many different tools. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. The technologies and tools you decide to use can affect the longevity of your Web site. Web sites must be built using accepted and established standards. Choosing proprietary technologies and tools considered outside industry norms could dramatically shorten your Web site’s lifespan. The owners of these proprietary technologies and tools might one day decide to stop supporting them, or they might simply go out of business. You’ll then be stuck with a Web site that’s based on obsolete technologies.

Are you ready to commit to a deadline and accept responsibility for the project?

A Web site can help a business land new contracts and open new markets, but it doesn’t bring in any direct revenue (unless you’re building an e-commerce site). As a result of this, your professional Web site often takes a backseat to other revenue-generating tasks. And more often than not you’ll wind up saying; “I’ll work on my Web site when I have time.” This can drag on indefinitely. If you’re going to build it inhouse, you have to treat it as a real priority or it will
never get done.

What’s your project scope?

The probability of success is relative to the scope of the project, the experience of the design and development team, the amount of time you’ve allocated to the project, and your available resources. Even if you have in-house Web development expertise, the scope of the project might exceed your ability to carry it out.

Outsource: Finding the Right Designer

Just because you’re outsourcing your Web site project doesn’t mean you don’t have any work to do. Your business is far too valuable to simply roll the dice when selecting a Web designer. You need to make sure you select the right people for the job.

It’s never a good idea to settle on your first candidate. You should take a high level look at a broad range of designers and make a list of the potential candidates that meet your criteria. Then, narrow down your selections to three to five strong contenders for further review.

When evaluating potential Web site designers, it’s best to learn as much as you can about who they are, what they do, how they do it, how long they’ve been doing it, and what they’ve done in the past before you sign a contract.

Assess background, credibility, experience, and knowledge

Not all Web site designers are created equal. Unfortunately, there are plenty of designers claiming to be so-called experts who are more than happy to charge you a premium for their services. It’s your job to separate the professionals from the wannabes. Interview your potential designers and developers, review their portfolio, and ask for a list of their previous clients. Also, take a close look at their Web site. Be wary of Web site designers who profess to know what you need and extol the virtues of a professionally designed Web site but have a shoddy Web site themselves.

Speak with past clients

When interviewing your potential designers, you know that they’re going to promise you the moon because they want to win the contract. But experience tells us that what’s promised isn’t always what’s delivered. Ask your candidates for a list of past clients and get in touch with them for some unbiased opinions. Questions you should ask include:

• Did the designer(s) have a good grasp of what the business does and what it hopes to accomplish with its Web site?
• How well did the designer(s) work with the business (especially those who aren’t technically inclined), and were there any interpersonal issues?
• Did the designer(s) deliver what they promised on schedule?
• Was there a steady stream of communication between the designer(s) and the business?
• Did the designer(s) answer the business’s questions in a timely manner?
• Were the designer(s) receptive to the business’s suggestions and ideas?
• Did the designer(s) provide adequate post-delivery support?

What are they going to deliver?

It’s normal to call your Web site designer when you need drastic changes to the site’s structure or design, but you must be able to manage the content without them. Make sure that your designer provides you with the means and ability to perform content updates, and that they won’t “lock” your content in binary files. For instance, it will be impossible for a business to manage its content on a purely Flash-based Web site if it doesn’t have a Flash development tool and the knowledge to use it. No business should ever have to be at the mercy of its designer every time it wants to update Web content or correct a typo.

Another thing to be wary of are Web sites delivered with a proprietary content management system (CMS). Some people appreciate this because it allows them to manage their content without having to deal with the technology and inner workings of their Web site. Others, however, may find these proprietary CMSs too constricting, preferring instead to have full access to the physical structure. Regardless, if a Web site is to be delivered with a proprietary CMS, you must ensure that the Web site can be ported away from, and “exist” outside of, that CMS. No Web site should ever be locked inside a proprietary tool.

Are there going to be any ownership issues?

Make sure that all candidates will give you full, exclusive rights to your Web site in its entirety upon completion: Design, images, source code, and content. Some unscrupulous designers will act as though they’re doing you a favor by hosting your completed Web site on their servers, and will then charge you a fee if you decide to move your Web site to another Web host. Or, they will purposely write unnecessary code and call it “proprietary” technology and charge you extra for the source.