Building a website is a complex process for which you will need qualified professionals. Looking for a designer who’s creativity will make your website look as you wish and a developer who will bring that creativity into life can be quite challenging, especially if you are not familiar with these two professions. Though many people look for one person who is both a programmer and a designer, the best results come if you hire a separate designer and a developer.
The Difference Between Web Designer and Developer
The best way to explain the difference between a web designer and a developer is by using the language of construction. Imagine you want to build a house. You can’t do it yourself, so you need someone to design it and make it. Do you know who to call? An architect and constructor.
Your website is like a house. You know how it should look, but you need professionals to make those ideas into reality. Therefore, to ‘construct’ a website, you should hire a web designer, who’s like an architect, and a developer whose job is similar to a constructor’s job. Before you make some phone calls, let’s get to know these two professions a bit more.
What Does a Web Designer Do?
Most people relate designers with creativity, and that’s accurate. The designer’s job is to create a visual presentation of the website. Using graphic design software such as Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, the designer brings ideas into reality. Imagination and intuitions play an essential role in a designer’s work.
What’s a Developer’s Part of the Work?
As we have mentioned, web developers are like constructors who build websites from the ground up. They use languages like Javascript, HTML, JQuery, and CSS, not focussing on visual presentations because their goal is to create a clear code website. Logic and technical skills are a significant part of their work.
How to Choose a Good Web Designer
Choosing a designer is not an easy task, especially if you are not familiar with that field. However, there are things you should pay attention to in order to select the designer most suitable for your needs.
- Communication – When talking to a potential employee, focus on how much he or she asks you about your business. A designer who is interested in working with you will want to know everything. He or she will initiate the talk about your services or products, goals, audience, etc. A designer who does not show interest in your business might not be the right choice for you.
- Previous work – To get to know the style of the designer you plan to hire, consider visiting websites he or she already designed. That way, you’ll know how creative and flexible the designer is, and what you can expect when it comes to your website’s design.
- Previous clients – Try contacting previous and current clients of your potential employee (designer). Ask them about their experience with that designer, and see what you can expect from him or her.
- Creative process – Find out if the designer is systematic; does he or she makes a plan in advance. Ask if you can expect to be led through all the phases of creating.
- SEO and Digital Marketing – Nowadays, web designers should be familiar with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and digital marketing. You need a professional who will design a site that will help you achieve your business and marketing goals.
- The cost – When talking to a designer, make sure to define the cost and the payment’s dynamic. A designer will most likely not be able to tell you the correct price, but it could probably give you an estimate, so you can calculate if that price fits your budget.
The Signs of a High-Quality Developer
To make your search for a high-quality developer easier, find out what characteristics of every excellent developer are. Here’s the list.
- Experience – When looking for a good developer, ask for their previous experience. See if his or her skills can meet your needs and wishes regarding your website.
- Productivity and time management – You need someone reliable. When hiring a developer, you need to pick someone great at managing time and tasks, who knows how to estimate the time necessary for doing the job and sticks with the timeframe.
- Excellent communication skills – When working with someone, you need to be able to communicate openly. You need the freedom to ask if something is not clear or suggest if you have some ideas.
Hiring a developer means that you are not qualified to do the job he or she does, but it does not mean that you don’t have the right to say if something is wrong or unclear. The bottom line is, it is your site, so you have to be satisfied.
That said, every high-quality developer has excellent communication skills because he or she knows the importance of communicating with clients.
Benefits of Developer and Designer Working Together
Designers and developers should work together—it’s simple as that. When combined, the creativity of a designer and programming skills of a developer results in a high-quality product. Bear in mind that a developer and a designer will bring you more creative and a more cohesive finished project with extraordinary aesthetics and clean code.
To Conclude – Yes, You Should Hire Both Designer and Developer
Online appearance has a significant impact on our lives, both private and professional. Those looking for a way to make their businesses grow should not underestimate the power of the internet; instead, they should use all the benefits that the internet brings.
As you can see, having a team of a good developer and designer will ensure that a website they’ll create will do a great job helping you achieve your business goals. It might seem pricey, but if you are looking long term, it is worth it!
