I hope this is the right forum to post this; if not, somebody please tell me and I would post it in the appropriate forum and ask the mods to delete this post.
I am starting my own business in short order and am now in the process of thinking about the website, an area I have no experience in. My problem is I don't know anything about website development and current state of technology to be able to have an intelligent conversation with a prospective developer and the process of choosing one. Here are my constraints:
(1) I am shoe-string budget. however, that said, the website is very important part of my business and it has to be very professional. As such, I am not going to be penny wise and pound foolish; I do intend to hire a website designer/developer. I am willing to spend good amount of money but be prudent about it. Time is off essence too so no messing around with students who have not developed a website for a real businesses.
(2) There is no eCommerce on the site and it is mostly informational only with 5-8 pages. The website will have pictures and animation with special effects (nothing extreme). However, customers would have accounts to manage their subscription as well as a simple database application (e.g. when one clicks on the link, depending on the user account, an activity is initiated - this could be as simple as dialing an unique phone number using an application I have, listing users past interactions with date & time stamps, subscription resources subscribed to and those remaining, etc.).
(3) Once the website is developed, I need to be able to go and make simple informational changes to it on as need basis- e.g. update text and pictures. I am quite tech savvy so I would like to do this myself instead of paying someone every time I need to change something minor. Minor learning curve or learn-as-you-go is OK.
(4) I already have a scalable logo developed, a preliminary idea of pages I want, their layout/design and the content that should go on each page.
So those are the constraints. And here the questions (if some of these questions don't make sense, it is because of my ignorance, pardon me):
(1) There are so many platforms to use - proprietary (e.g. Sharepoint) versus open source e.g. PHP). Which one is preferable and why?
(2) Flash or HTML5? Actually, does it matter?
(4) Any thoughts on the database part of the website? Underlying platform? i should be able to add to user attributes, change/update the, etc. on as need basis.
(5) For me to maintain the website on ongoing basis, do I need something like Dreamweaver? Should I be seeking a web developer who uses this or an alternative proprietary software/
(6) What should I look for in the website designer/developer? What kind of due diligence?
(7) No racist/snarly comments please - is it worth outsourcing this project to guys in Eastern Europe/India to save some money (I am not worried about their knowledge of basic English as I would be supplying all the content). Plus I am culturally comfortable working with people from abroad. I am looking for creativity, professionalism and technical competence and these do not carry any particular country's flag!
(8) Anything else you can think of that I should considering? Please feel free to pepper me with questions!
TIA.
I am starting my own business in short order and am now in the process of thinking about the website, an area I have no experience in. My problem is I don't know anything about website development and current state of technology to be able to have an intelligent conversation with a prospective developer and the process of choosing one. Here are my constraints:
(1) I am shoe-string budget. however, that said, the website is very important part of my business and it has to be very professional. As such, I am not going to be penny wise and pound foolish; I do intend to hire a website designer/developer. I am willing to spend good amount of money but be prudent about it. Time is off essence too so no messing around with students who have not developed a website for a real businesses.
(2) There is no eCommerce on the site and it is mostly informational only with 5-8 pages. The website will have pictures and animation with special effects (nothing extreme). However, customers would have accounts to manage their subscription as well as a simple database application (e.g. when one clicks on the link, depending on the user account, an activity is initiated - this could be as simple as dialing an unique phone number using an application I have, listing users past interactions with date & time stamps, subscription resources subscribed to and those remaining, etc.).
(3) Once the website is developed, I need to be able to go and make simple informational changes to it on as need basis- e.g. update text and pictures. I am quite tech savvy so I would like to do this myself instead of paying someone every time I need to change something minor. Minor learning curve or learn-as-you-go is OK.
(4) I already have a scalable logo developed, a preliminary idea of pages I want, their layout/design and the content that should go on each page.
So those are the constraints. And here the questions (if some of these questions don't make sense, it is because of my ignorance, pardon me):
(1) There are so many platforms to use - proprietary (e.g. Sharepoint) versus open source e.g. PHP). Which one is preferable and why?
(2) Flash or HTML5? Actually, does it matter?
(4) Any thoughts on the database part of the website? Underlying platform? i should be able to add to user attributes, change/update the, etc. on as need basis.
(5) For me to maintain the website on ongoing basis, do I need something like Dreamweaver? Should I be seeking a web developer who uses this or an alternative proprietary software/
(6) What should I look for in the website designer/developer? What kind of due diligence?
(7) No racist/snarly comments please - is it worth outsourcing this project to guys in Eastern Europe/India to save some money (I am not worried about their knowledge of basic English as I would be supplying all the content). Plus I am culturally comfortable working with people from abroad. I am looking for creativity, professionalism and technical competence and these do not carry any particular country's flag!
(8) Anything else you can think of that I should considering? Please feel free to pepper me with questions!
TIA.
Last edited:
Facebook
Twitter