Advice Needed

We are about to launch a new web-based business. The programming for the site has been done by a young team of IT professionals who've recently started their own firm. To date we have been pleased with their work; they've been quite attentive to our requirements and have made numerous creative and helpful suggestions that have made the site better. We are about 2-3 weeks away from a web-ready version and testing.

Our new business will propose a wide range of services (nine “modules” in all) to a specific market segment - and, if our strategy is on the mark, we will serve clients from around the globe. Each of the services we propose is to be accessed from the same home-page and most are complex enough to be considered a web-site on their own. Some of the other modules are not as complex and are similar in design & purpose.

Even though the start-up firm doing the programming today is doing a good job with the technical aspects of each of the components, we think that the "look and feel" and the flow from one part of the site to another could be enhanced if it were in the hands of an experienced web designer with a proven track record.

We could use some help in answering these 2 questions:

1. Should we engage a very professional web designer and launch with a top-drawer design – perhaps even one with a certain "wow-factor" – or, should we conserve limited capital, use what we anticipate will be a very adequate design, but not much more, from our current supplier, and wait to see if the business will take off? (In this latter scenario, we’d then go "full-hog" in terms of design, branding, marketing theme, etc. assuming early revenue).

2. What kind of cost are we looking at for good solid design from someone who’s done it before - and is able back up their claims by referring us to a portfolio of their work?



Thank you!

Eric1832

Regarding your first question: I'd go for the conserve your capital option, If you have no valid reason to believe that your firm's site will be detrimental to your business it makes sense to go with what you've got. Launch as big as you need to and plan to evaluate the difference between your business or marketing plan and the real world that is attributable to your web presence at some point in the future. This will put you in a better position to understand what you do need to attract the clientele you want.

I can't answer your question #2, though my inclination is to say that a "good solid design from someone who's done it before..." "with a certain 'wow-factor.' could cost whatever you're willing to pay. Or more.

I confess I don't quite understand what is leading you to consider jettisoning a team that you describe as good and responsive in favor of re-opening the process if you're less than a month from your scheduled launch. Unless maybe it's the fear of not being ready for prime time? (Happens all the time.) I'd be cautious because there is a subset of design firms that will prey on your vulnerabilities, charge in to save the day, toss everything you've got and over-charge you like crazy.

The key phrase that caught my attention was, "we’d then go "full-hog" in terms of design, branding, marketing theme, etc. assuming early revenue)." This says to me that your funding is limited, thus the risk of changing up at this point is heightened. Lowengard makes a good point about "design firms that will prey on your vulnerabilities." Good luck with your project. Please keep us updated.

Lowengard - Many thanks for your thoughtful reply; you've made important points that we'd not considered and we'll certainly take them on board and weigh them very carefully.

Your effort is much appreciated. Eric1832

Don't confuse the programming process with the design process. In general most good programmers can not design well and most good designers can not program well. I have never designed a web page for a client before, I always work with their designer (sometimes in house and sometimes contracted) and do my best to make their design functional. When I finish I tell them to test it and the designer gives me a list of changes that they want made to keep with their stylistic vision. If the firm you are with is doing well on the technical end have them keep going, perhaps they need a designer to create the pages and they can make them work.
Edit: On that note I'm posting this comic



This look and feel thing is a common problem that clients get. There is no way anyone can design off of your exact feelings so you will never get the exact product you have in your head (if it even exists, often times your dream idea is just that).

The first question you need to ask is what do you stand to lose by continuing as you are now. Is it going to hurt your revenue? If so by how much? If you feel you will make a profit by spending more on an experienced designer than it is a good idea to go forward with that.

What you are describing is an interface designer, they have experience in how to make a site smooth and easy to use while keeping it good looking. Here are salary stats for these jobs in the US (I don't know what they go for in Switzerland but the median income is a lot higher for you so it may be more):
http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/I...y-Details.aspx
http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/I...y-Details.aspx

Keep in mind that consultants will charge considerably more than the hourly rate you will derive from that because contractors incur more expenses.

As Lowengard mentioned, you might not fully understand your clients' needs at first, but I disagree to an extent. You have to know what you're aiming at or you wouldn't be at the point you are now. You don't and won't know all of the needs your clients may have at the onset, but you have a pretty good guess. Otherwise, the venture isn't going to be successful.

VG said it well, the majority of the programmers can't design sites or interfaces. Well, they can, but not well. An experience UI designer will be able to approach a project keeping in mind how a client will use it. A programmer approaches it by how it will work and function on the back-end. I firmly believe they should work hand-in-hand or you're going to end up with something that only a more technically savvy person will know how to use.

To be honest, I think you should launch the absolute best product you can keeping in mind your financial limitations. You don't want to start off by launching something that appears to be half-hearted. While the back-end is not, the front-end and element your clients will actually see and use, might appear that way.

Hope that helps anyway. Good luck!