[Gareth Daine]

Hi Folks,

I hope everyone is OK?

I'm currently performing some market research as part of my content strategy development and I would really like to hear as many opinions as possible. This is possibly something that could help other users out on the forum also, I'm sure.

I'm in the process of redesigning and developing my online portfolio and I have a few questions for you guys if you would be so kind as to offer your advice.

• When deciding on a new project build or a redesign of your current business website, how do you go about searching and sourcing design and development?
• When selecting the right contractor for the job, do you have a preference for freelancers or full service agencies?
• When visiting a prospective contractors website, what is the most important information you look for? What would you like to be immediately accessible to you?
• When contacting a contractor, would you prefer to fill out a detailed project requirement form online or would a fast and simple contact form be best? Alternatively, would you like the option to have both available?

I have many more questions but I think these will suffice for the time being.

If you have any other advice or insights to offer, I would very much appreciate your input on the subject.

Thanks in advance guys, and I look forward to your responses.

Regards

Gareth

EDIT: I realise that this is a web designer forum, though I would still appreciate your thoughts and opinions on the questions, as I still consider them valuable and a lot of you run businesses. I do also understand that occasionally web design and development agencies outsource their portfolio design.

The questions above are generic ones that I have asked on other forums to gauge opinion, that's why they are there in their entirety.

It would be good to get feedback on what you think the most important aspects of a portfolio are and what content is most important. Thanks guys.

[zed]

you do know this is a web designer's forum?

[Gareth Daine]

Are you serious?

[oakleaves]

1) When deciding on a new project build or a redesign of your current business website, how do you go about searching and sourcing design and development?

I do it myself

2) When selecting the right contractor for the job, do you have a preference for freelancers or full service agencies?

Neither really, I do it myself.

3) When visiting a prospective contractors website, what is the most important information you look for? What would you like to be immediately accessible to you?

n/a

4) When contacting a contractor, would you prefer to fill out a detailed project requirement form online or would a fast and simple contact form be best? Alternatively, would you like the option to have both available?

I think I would prefer a simple initial form (if I were to look for a contractor but I don't). However I can see how a more detailed form would benefit the contractor.

Hope that helps.

[Gareth Daine]

Hi Oakleaves,

Thanks for making an attempt at the questions.

I may not have fully explained the post properly. I do realise that most of the people on here would do it themselves, as I would. The reason for the post is to gauge your objective opinions, so I can see an outsiders point of view. So, essentially it would be great if the questions where answered, honestly, as if you were a prospective client. It's simply an exercise in collating opinion, from both designers (hence the post here) and from businesses (posts on other forums) so I can compare the two, and develop a detailed content strategy document.

Thanks again.

[zed]

Gareth Daine, on 12 December 2011 - 05:15 PM, said:

Are you serious?

absolutely. Most of the members here are web designers so why would they be looking to outsource the building of their site?

[Gareth Daine]

Hi Zed,

I'm not suggesting that they would, though this does happen.

The outsourcing of other web designers/developers websites is not the point of this post, as explained above. That said, there are other web professionals on here who are not designers or developers.

Anyway, I think you misunderstand the reason for the post and that may be down to how I have worded things. Thanks.

Gareth

EDIT: Just a quick note on this subject also. Many web agencies and freelancers also outsource certain aspects of their design and development work, depending on project load. So again, it is relevant and pertinent in those circumstances, as I would also like to gauge the opinions of those companies and individuals.

[MikeChipshop]

Righty-o let's have a go at answering this, i'm a freelance web developer/designer but i work with a lot of agencies so i know how they operate...


When deciding on a new project build or a redesign of your current business website, how do you go about searching and sourcing design and development?
I don't but a few of the agencies i occasionally work with go first within their own circles, i.e. looking for developers/designers who have either worked with them in the past or have worked closely with a friend or client.

When selecting the right contractor for the job, do you have a preference for freelancers or full service agencies?
My sources tell me freelancers as the level of hoops to jump through is less, it's easier on the books and the price/turn-around is nearly always quicker.

When visiting a prospective contractors website, what is the most important information you look for? What would you like to be immediately accessible to you?
Location, call to action, quality copy, examples of work, contact details.

When contacting a contractor, would you prefer to fill out a detailed project requirement form online or would a fast and simple contact form be best?
Neither, telephone.

[Gareth Daine]

Thanks Mike. That's exactly the sort of feedback I'm after.

I'd really like to get a discussion going about the most important aspects people look for. Cheers Mike.

[oakleaves]

I get what you're saying mate but it might have been a better discussion had you posted your findings so far from your asking those questions elsewhere.

Quote

The questions above are generic ones that I have asked on other forums to gauge opinion, that's why they are there in their entirety.

I for one would have been interested to know - but it's a hard one to answer as most of the guys on here including myself are in the same boat as you.

[Gareth Daine]

Fair comment.

I will definately post my findings and share them with the community but at the monent people are slow in coming forward with any opinions unfortunately. Though, as I do collect more data I will certainly share it with everyone here.

[Gareth Daine]

Hi Folks,

Still waiting for more feedback from various business forums on the questions I've asked. I've listed the questions I've asked below. Do you guys have anymore ideas on what to ask at all, and I'll add them to the list. Once I have enough data, I'll post on here or possibly start a new thread. Think that might be best.

• When looking for designers and developers online, do you favour freelancers or agencies? Why?
• When arriving at a designers/developers website, what would you consider to be the most important information you nee? What would you like to have access to straight away?
• When contacting a designers/developer would you prefer to use email, fill in a small form, fill in a detailed project brief or contact them directly by telephone, or a combination all options?
• When deciding whether or not a specific designers/developer would be right for your project, would you like to see a list of skills that they have, a description of what they specialise in, a description of how they can help your business or a combination all options?
• Is it important that a designer/developer doesn't use jargon or technical terms? Alternatively, would it be wise to use a combination of both for those that do require more detail?
• Is it important that you get a sense of the designers/developers personality, through the use of humour, interests and unrelated activities?
• Concerning contact forms, locations and contact details, would you prefer these to be on the home page or on a contact page, or both?
• What would you consider to be the most important aspect when viewing a portfolio of past work? Descriptions/case studies of the projects, images, or both?
• Do you consider testimonials to be important?
• Would you read articles from the designers/developers blog to gauge whether or not they are an autrhority on their subject, or is this not something that you would consider as important?
• Do you expect to see a blog?
• Is having the ability to connect with these individuals socially (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) important to you?
• Would you like an idea of overall costs? Most freelancers have a standard pricing model, would this be useful to you and how important is this?

Cheers

Gareth

[byronc]

zed, on 12 December 2011 - 05:45 PM, said:

absolutely. Most of the members here are web designers so why would they be looking to outsource the building of their site?

web designers are not necessarily web developers?

[Gareth Daine]

Thanks byronc.

Anyone got any further ideas or data they would like to collect. I've had 3 responses on other forums so far.

Once I have a good list of relevant questions, I'll set up a poll on each of the websites with the relevant answers as this may garner more responses. Thanks folks.