Working with web designers, what is your experience?

I need a web designer to be:

1. Able to be creative and not only follow literal instructions. I admit, I always have some of my own creative notions about a project, but if I could execute it I would be the designer not them, so I need the creative process to be a collaboration where I give a set of ground rules and they run with it because they are talented like that. Not blank stares when I give them free reign...

2. Be up to date with what's going on in their field of work. I don't need to explain to them what do 2.0 style logo or 3-column layout means.

Ok, it got more rant-ish than I expected :)

Eylon, took the words right out of mouth. Too many will do exactly what you ask them to do without using their own creative input. I look at it as a way for designers to cut corners on the job.

Jesse,

One of the things that I like to see from my provider is going the extra mile. For example, my logo designer made a sketch of what I ask him for, then he also made two more sketches of what he thought was best. I eventually made some modifications from one of his creations. I appreciated his hard work and since then I've used him 3 more times to make other logos.

My experience with my web designer was the opposite. He made exactly what I ask for. I didn't like it and he had to make several revisions before it was accepted. I felt he was trying to cut corners and give me the quickest design so he could move on to the next customer. Since then, I've used 3 different web designers. Each of them had the same level of service which makes me never return.

I think the web designers do not make additional mockups because it is time consuming. But it's not so time consuming if they realize that without the mockups, they will have to make several revisions. Also, how much time goes into making several revisions and how much time is lost when you don't get repeat business.

I'd like to see web designers take the same approach as logo designers. When you quote the job, tell the customer that you will make 3 mockups. That would impress me.

Theron, you are spot on. Web Designers need to be Designers, not technicians.

As a web designer this is really interesting feedback. We always do two totally distinct web design concepts for each project and honestly I thought every designer did that!

I'm always surprised at the number of individuals who promote themselves as web "designers" when they are not designers at all. In fact, many of them are very capable web development technicians with little or no design education or experience. Those that are truly designers with technical abilities often produce really great end products for their clients.

I'm always surprised at the number of individuals who promote themselves as web "designers" when they are not designers at all. In fact, many of them are very capable web development technicians with little or no design education or experience. Those that are truly designers with technical abilities often produce really great end products for their clients.

Jeff,

This is exactly the challenge most of us 'designers' have to fight with. Today you can go to any junior college, take a course on MS FrontPage or Adobe Dreamweaver and walk out with a certificate saying you can design web sites. Knowing how to use a WYSIWYG application does not a 'designer' make.

But then again, you can't ask a print designer to design a web site either. Well, you could... and it would probably look great. But how would it function? How long would it take to load? What would the customer experience be like?

I have experienced this first hand with print designers trying to design web sites without knowing UI design or Information Architecture.

Just as in print design, there are standards and best practices in web design. But even knowing those, if you don't have a graphic design background or the like you are not going to be successful at web design.