Alternatives to the Traditional Website Design Process

Wordcamp Edmonton, Nov. 15, 2013

Transcript

1. “ALTERNATIVE” METHODS TO THE TRADITIONAL WEB DESIGN PROCESS Kyle Huberman ! ! ! ! ! @KyleHuberman kyle@pixeldesigns.ca
2. ALL ABOUT ME! • I've been “running” Pixel Designs since I was in Grade 9, so since 2003.
4. Invoice... Bill to: Serenity Total Body Clinic 10031– 136 St. Edmonton, AB T5P 4Y1 Client #: 001 Invoice Date: July 17 2003 Invoice #: 00101 Invoice Information: # Description Quantity Expiry Unit Price Total 1 Home Page 1 ~~~ $60 $60.00 2 Major Page 2 ~~~ $15 $30 3 Minor Page 16 ~~~ $10 $160 4 Products 11 ~~~ $7 $77 5 Hosting 20 Months March 1 2005 $ 0 / Month $0.00 Subtotal $327.00 Miscellaneous 0.00 Total $327.00
5. ALL ABOUT ME! • U of A • Failed dreams of being a doctor • No dreams of being a lawyer
6. ALL ABOUT ME!
8. How does someone run a one person website design and development company without actually being talented at website design or development?
19. WHY THE ALTERNATIVE? • Budget is always the primary one. Not every company has a well endowed & ample budget. • Missing Skill Set. We can’t get into Hogwarts (Med School) • Time.
20. OUTSOURCING OVERSEAS India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Russia, Ukraine
23. NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS Poor Work Quality. Outrageously low & unfair wages.
24. AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME http://www.asiabriefing.com/news/2013/07/comparison-minimum-wages-in-china-and-india/ $6/hr 0 250 500 750 1000 India China Pixel Designs $960 $220 $80 $6/hr
25. WHEN TO OUTSOURCE • When you need the work done cheap and quick….but it’s going to be buggy. They’ll take you 80% of the way there. • When you need work done overnight. Use time zones to your advantage. • When you need technical or research work done.
26. WARNING! Never ask for someone to do something you don’t understand.
27. OUTSOURCING TIPS & TRICKS 1. Say in your proposal that if they do a good job more work will be coming. 2. Regardless of what the freelancer ranks their English skill level at, always communicate with them like they are in grade 5.
29. OUTSOURCING TIPS & TRICKS 3. Don’t be afraid to request a Skype call. 4. Be very, very specific in your spec sheets to them. Just because you are outsourcing does not mean you don’t have to do any work.
31. OUTSOURCING TIPS & TRICKS 5. Just because you talk to them like they are in grade 5, don’t treat them like they are in grade 5. 6. If someone does a really good job, don’t be afraid to bonus them a small amount at the end. It’s like a restaurant tip.
32. COMPETITION MARKETPLACES
34. NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS You’re not paying people for their work. What happens if you get no designs you like.
35. WHEN TO USE 99DESIGNS • When you need a logo fast. • When you know exactly what you want. • When you don’t have any clue what you want.
36. PRO TIP It really, really helps if you know what you’re doing in Illustrator.
38. 99DESIGNS TIPS & TRICKS 1. The logos you get are only going to be as good as the design briefs you write. 2. You need to comment lots.
39. 99DESIGNS TIPS & TRICKS 3. Don’t use it for Website design work 4. Don’t be afraid to make comments that refers to what you like about other designers, it’s a competition, treat it as such.
40. PREDESIGNED THEMES
41. NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS I don’t want my site to look like someone else’s. It’s cheap.
42. WHEN TO USE THEMES • When you don’t need a very customized solution. • When the client needs multiple sites, this is a perfect solution. • If you know enough Wordpress to get by, but not enough to customize your own solution. • When you need something cheaply done.
44. PURCHASING THEMES TIPS & TRICKS 1. Always choose for functionality, don’t choose for design. 2. Take a look at the theme makers other themes, especially if you’re buying a newly released one. Check to see if they update themes for newer WP version and if they have decent support in the comments section.
45. PURCHASING THEMES TIPS & TRICKS 3. Don’t purchase themes that haven’t been updated in the last 6 months. 4. Don’t get wow’d by the images in the theme or the content. 5. Think ahead about how your own content will look in the theme.
46. CONCLUSIONS • In order to solve your clients needs, you sometimes need to use non-traditional methods • There’s nothing wrong with having people you don’t know do work for you. • You can’t outsource everything. Some talent is required.
47. Thanks! ! ! Questions?