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From my perspective, the question is more of how would you hire the right designer to turn an application from an eyesore to a polished professional look ? We

From my perspective, the question is more of how would you hire the right designer to turn an application from an eyesore to a polished professional look ? We are never going to meet , so how does one go about separating true designers from PSD/HTML hacks when one encounters them on Elance. What question do you ask ? what do you look for in the portfolio ? And of course --- by what formula do you divine how much to pay (this one is a big issue for all tech. bootstrapped start ups)? And is Elance the right place to find them ?

rorymarinich 16y ago
"The right place to find a designer," goes the adage, "is wherever the designer happens to be." Frustratingly, there is no official hub where every designer goes, so you have to look in a lot of places. Elance has some talented people, but it doesn't have all the people you should be looking for. When you're looking for a designer, the rule is you try to find somebody who makes things you like looking at first. That's the most important part. Looking through their portfolio, then, you're trying to see the extent of their prowess. Do they rely on the same design tricks with every single layout they make (gradients, pretty buttons, slidy things), or are they making sure each web site does what it's supposed to do? Have they got any subtlety of understanding what a web site's needs are, or are they designing a bunch of things that look the same no matter what they're meant to be? Then you talk to them. See if they "get" what you're talking about. Don't plan your questions in advance — conversations work better than interviews. Do they intuit your needs? If you have to clarify something that at first isn't clear, do they catch on to where you're going? You want somebody who's going to make the web site you want to make. As for price: Offer what you can afford, and see if they'll take it. With designers, you never know. My team has taken $200 contracts because the work was simple enough and we liked the team offering. We've done freelance work because we liked the cause or liked the challenge and had an opening in our schedule. The best way to find designers is to stick to people who've made work you like, or people you know, or people who've said interesting things, and contact them directly. Sort of like how directors stick to their favorite actors and cinematographers or, if they don't have any, they ask their friends to help out. Keep it personal. Personal does better work for you. (If you're not speaking hypothetically, by the way, feel free to write me — we're open again for business starting Thursday. [/selfpromotion])
- badmash69 16y ago
  I will. Is the email listed under HN profile correct ?
  - rorymarinich 16y ago
    Yep!

rorymarinich 16y ago

"The right place to find a designer," goes the adage, "is wherever the designer happens to be." Frustratingly, there is no official hub where every designer goes, so you have to look in a lot of places. Elance has some talented people, but it doesn't have all the people you should be looking for. When you're looking for a designer, the rule is you try to find somebody who makes things you like looking at first. That's the most important part. Looking through their portfolio, then, you're trying to see the extent of their prowess. Do they rely on the same design tricks with every single layout they make (gradients, pretty buttons, slidy things), or are they making sure each web site does what it's supposed to do? Have they got any subtlety of understanding what a web site's needs are, or are they designing a bunch of things that look the same no matter what they're meant to be? Then you talk to them. See if they "get" what you're talking about. Don't plan your questions in advance — conversations work better than interviews. Do they intuit your needs? If you have to clarify something that at first isn't clear, do they catch on to where you're going? You want somebody who's going to make the web site you want to make. As for price: Offer what you can afford, and see if they'll take it. With designers, you never know. My team has taken $200 contracts because the work was simple enough and we liked the team offering. We've done freelance work because we liked the cause or liked the challenge and had an opening in our schedule. The best way to find designers is to stick to people who've made work you like, or people you know, or people who've said interesting things, and contact them directly. Sort of like how directors stick to their favorite actors and cinematographers or, if they don't have any, they ask their friends to help out. Keep it personal. Personal does better work for you. (If you're not speaking hypothetically, by the way, feel free to write me — we're open again for business starting Thursday. [/selfpromotion])

badmash69 16y ago
I will. Is the email listed under HN profile correct ?
- rorymarinich 16y ago
  Yep!