Tips: Choosing a Developer

You need to be careful when choosing a web developer. Developers have very different levels of experience, use different software, provide different terms and conditions and offer different pricing models. Use an independent web adviser to help you choose the right one for you.

Below are a few basic things to look out for when you're choosing a developer.

Personality

It is important that you get on well with your developer because you will rely on regular and open communication. A clash in personality will have a major impact in the quality of the solution. You need to be able to deal with each other respectfully and over a long period of time to get the most out of your website.

Experience

Experience counts for a lot. It's not a good idea to hire a developer if they can't show you examples of similar work they have done before. If you hire someone without relevant experience your will be paying for them to learn through mistakes with your website. If you must use someone with little previous experience, make sure you have a fixed quote with appropriate payment terms.

Software

Different developers will use software and systems which they are familiar with. These choices can have a major impact on your website and the costs associated with it. Some systems require you to be with the same developer for the lifetime of the website. This means if you want to use another developer in the future, you will need to start from scratch. Some developers know this and will charge inflated prices for maintenance work because they know you can't leave them.

Business Intelligence

If you are building your website for your business then it needs to provide you with results. It is important that your developer understands this commercial aspect and is capable of assisting with strategic decisions. The level of commercial understand varies greatly, you should be careful not to end up with a website that looks great, but doesn't work. Be aware of developers who won't take the time to understand your business, where you're coming from, and more importantly, what you need to achieve from your website.

Support

From time to time, things can go wrong. Whether it be due to a computer crashing, or a mistake from lack of knowledge you need to be able to get things fixed quickly. Will whoever you choose be able to provide you with the support you need, or will you be left to fend for yourself? Small web development firms are continuously starting up and closing down often moving over seas for several years. Larger firms tend to be more reliable in this aspect.

Design

Design is often the least expensive part of the website however it is one of the most important. Generally the designer and the developer are two different people due to the huge difference in skill sets. Be aware if you are dealing with a single person who does both, that they are likely to be less competent in one area. Don't be afraid to get two companies to do the work, one for the design and another to develop the code.

Pricing

This one goes without saying, but try to make sure you're not going to be paying large sums of money for a website that provides little or no return. This can be difficult sometimes if you're dealing with a convincing sales person. Try to get some information on average market rates before committing to a contract or better still, talk to your independent web adviser.