Choosing a Design Firm
Get a head start
Before you start calling firms for quotes, gather notes on your prospective contractor. Take a look online to see what they have to offer you.
Evaluate the firm online.
A good firm will have staff profiles, client case studies, and of course, their portfolio online for you to review. A good web site should give you a good sense of what the company is all about.
Read their case studies.
Get a sense of how they can help solve complex problems and how they work. This will show how capable they are of solving complex business problems.
Look at their work.
A good design firm doesn't have a specific style. They should be able to create a design to effectively communicate your needs, no matter what your business might be.
Many firms claim to be "too busy working with other clients" to have time to build their own site — If they don't have time to promote their skills will they have time for you as a client?
Look at their clients.
Does their client base reflect your company? Do they only deal with fortune 500s, or small businesses? Can they handle your business?
Read their blog
If they have a blog, check it out. Most firms blog about their work, practices, awards, and involvement in the community. This is like having a view into the mind of your potential contractor and will help you get a feeling for who they are.
Questions to ask a prospective firm
- What laws pertain to my site (Every country has laws that directly and indirectly affect the web)?
- Every country has laws that directly and indirectly affect the web.
- What is the timeline for the project? Are they flexible?
- What is the confidentiality agreement surrounding your project?
- Do they provide a fixed rate for the job or do they bill for every hour of revisions and fixes?
- What is their process and how do they stay on track (financially and time-wise)?
- Does the firm understand usability and accessibility?
- How committed are they to you after the project launches?
- Can they do more than just build a website? Do they have experience with logos, branding, print collateral, photography, etc.?
- Do they have experience with your industry?
- How available are they when you need them?
Conclusion
All of this research should help you get a sense of personality about the firm. You should choose a design firm you feel you could develop a good working relationship with.
Make a shortlist of firms to contact directly. Before you email them or call the office, you should have your project outlined and notes ready to send them so they can fairly provide an estimate for the project.