Web Site Design
Building a web site can be a lot like building a home. You've seen other homes. You've got your list of things you like about this one, and don't like about that one. You've got your "must-haves" and and your "things-that-would-be-nice-if-there-is-money-left-over". Aesthetics, finances, and practicality compete to influence your decisions. You want the architect to think outside the box — but not at the expense of structural soundness.
Web sites can be very similar. No doubt you've looked around. You've got your opinions about what is out there. You've made your list of "must haves" and wants. Now, where do you take that list? If you take it to a programmer, your site may function well, load quickly and even tell you the time in Hong Kong. But, there is something missing. It may be in the overall user experience. It may be an eyesore. It may not effectively communicate your image.
Ah, the answer must be to take it to your cousin's best friend's roommate who just finished art school and took some web design courses. Well that might make a site that is visually more engaging, but the functionality may be limited to the spinning logo on the home page.
So what's the solution? Well, you could go to some of the remaining large web design specialty shops where they employ a great mix of programmers, site architects, art directors, designers and project managers. This wouldn't be a bad choice at all, except that this brings to mind one more similarity of building a home — a 30-year mortgage to pay for it. But, hey, if you got it, do your patriotic duty and stimulate the economy. If that's not you then you need to be find someone who understands both sides of building a web site and can work within your budget.
By the way, I think I may have someone for you. Check out the work to the left to get a better idea of the design-side capabilities. And, feel free to contact me any time you'd like to discuss HTML, CSS, PHP, Coldfusion, JS, mySQL, as well as a host of other acronyms.