The best Web Design agencies tend to share a few things in common in addition to their skill sets. Some of these characteristics include:
1. PORTFOLIOS ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM
Any good Web Designer agency will put a lot of effort into creating the perfect portfolio website.
As a Web Designer, one must have a polished, professional and eye-catching portfolio to showcase the past projects you are most proud of and show potential clients and employers that you can do the same for them.
Your web design work samples should demonstrate your versatility as a Web Designer. Quality over quantity approach is definitely preferred.
2. ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD BUSINESS DECISIONS
Web designers, especially those who are just starting out in their careers and are more likely to survive on freelance gigs, must have a decent head when it comes to business.
The Web Designer needs to know what the competition’s pricing is and market their services in a competitive way based on their experience and location when negotiating with a company about pricing. An effective Web Designer also knows how to come up with a realistic budget, pricing and schedule for the services they are offering, which also requires a bit of a sense of numbers.
Web designers will also have to deal with contracts, something the best ones take very seriously. You shouldn’t just glance at the price and sign off on anything without knowing the terms.
3. THEY ARE ORGANIZED AND FOLLOW A SCHEDULE
Over the course of a career, even the best Web Designers can’t keep track of how many websites they’ve designed. They have developed clear processes that have been refined over time. Therefore, they can easily identify and avoid any pitfalls or mistakes in advance.
The importance of time in a website project cannot be overstated. Ideally, a Web Designer will provide their clients with a document detailing their website development process.
The most effective Web Designers will also alert stakeholders if they encounter any issues that may delay deadlines. Web Designers should never miss deadlines, but if they do, they explain why they did not meet their schedule in detail.
4. FLEXIBILITY IS ONE OF THEIR STRENGTHS
As much as it is important to meet deadlines, it’s also important to acknowledge that sometimes unexpected things happen. A Web Designer needs to be agile enough and flexible enough to alter the scope or contents of a web design project on the fly, whether it’s a client changing their mind about a design feature or the web development team hitting a snag with the back-end.
Designers should be ready, willing, and eager to adapt to new situations and solve problems as they arise.
Moreover, Web Designers should be flexible in the types of tasks they perform. It should be noted that web design work on a website may eventually span duties that Web Designers typically do not perform – such as content creation and SEO – but if one meets those challenges enthusiastically, it will be to everyone’s benefit.
5. GOOD WEB DESIGN AGENCY POSSESS STRONG COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Expert Web Designers will explain web technologies and design ideas to clients in a straightforward, jargon-free way.
Designers who are not able to explain intricate concepts and terms clearly to clients – whether in person or via email – cannot be trusted to convey a company’s message.
Working in web design means interacting with a wide variety of professionals, all of whom have totally different roles. Great Web Designers should learn how to handle all of these relationships smoothly.
6. THEY WELCOME NEW IDEAS
Clients and stakeholders will inevitably have suggestions on how the company website should be designed. Sometimes those ideas will be great, and sometimes they won’t be – but it’s the job of Web Designers to listen and take those suggestions into account as they work on the website.
The next great design idea could come from anywhere. A good web designer will also scour the internet for inspiration and to explore the latest design trends.
7. THEY ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE LATEST DESIGN TOOLS
A number of new tools are constantly being created, improved or introduced to make web design easier.
A good Web Designer is always exploring ways to make themselves more efficient and effective by using these tools. You could do this by taking online courses, attending workshops or bootcamps, or just staying informed about webinars, YouTube tutorials and design blogs.
Using these tools allow Web Designers to focus on the big-picture aspects of their websites rather than getting bogged down in the weeds.
8. THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR USERS AND HAVE AN EYE FOR DESIGN
You can’t be a good Web Designer unless you understand design and how to make things look appealing, not to mention important web design theory principles like color theory, structure, and usability.
Whether or not UX design is in Web Designers’ official titles, it is an essential part of any design job. Designers can put themselves in the users’ shoes and understand what they want and how they are likely to move through the site during their visit.
Thus, Web Designers must use whatever user research and data analysis they have access to so that they can make informed decisions about the design and structure of the site.
