When it comes to graphic designers, we tend to think we know it all. What we mean is, graphic designers have a tendency to think they’re on top of everything, and can create just about piece of computer-oriented media out there. However, the truth is a bit farther from that. For instance, most of us will face on a frequent basis the decision to code a website ourselves or hire someone else to do it. If you’re like us, pride and the need to be cheap will command you to dive in on your own. But is that the best choice? In some cases, it simply isn’t: In fact, it can be a waste of time. So how does one know when to hire a web developer, and when to tackle the bear head-on? By reading below the break, that’s how!
- Know Your Limits: First and foremost, know exactly how much coding you have under your belt, as well as how much you can feasibly create in a day. Are you that experienced with the languages at hand? If not, you’ll likely have to spend some time learning and adapting, a process that can easily soak up a lot of valuable work hours and money in a heartbeat. Knowing your limitations is the first step toward knowing when to outsource the work, so take a good long look at your skill set before making a decision.
- Know the Scope: How big is the project? Will you conceivably be creating this website or other web piece for a long time? If so, you might just have the hours available to learn a new coding language, or adapt your existing skills to the needs of the project. However, if you’re on a rush and need to slap the rubber to the road, the decision is a no-brainer: Save yourself the pain and wasted nights working by outsourcing the coding to a web developer. Doing so also allows you to create designs and have them coded in a nearly instantaneous process. This is a great way to quickly and effectively crank out a web design, and if your client is demanding results in the moment, there’s really no other way to go about this. All of this is, of course, assuming your web developer turns in his bits on-time.
