When looking for a web design company it is important to know what skill levels are needed for your project (it may involve many disciplines). In the old days, “web design” was design with some html knowledge to get the job done for most basic sites. Those days are long gone for the professional website. It is very hard to find one person that has all the skill sets needed to complete a project successfully based on custom design work and highly technical requirements.
Website Graphic Designer
Understands design fundamentals and modern website grid systems. Visually lays out designs for the websites. These serve as the blueprint for the front-end developer once the web design “blue print” is approved to code.
Front-End Web Developer
Once the design is approved, these designs go to the front-end developer which codes the approved layout either into a content management system or on its own using any number or combination of languages (HTML, CSS, Javascript, Jquery, PHP, etc).
Back-End Web Developer
For more technically intense websites that require heavy database work, a back-end developer is usually a requirement. A backend developer is needed for integration of the user-facing elements developed by a front-end developers with server side logic. For any websites with member logins, heavy user permissions and feature a back-end developer is a must.
Project Manager
Project managers are a key component in how smoothly a project goes. They know how to communicate with above professionals, help keep a project organized and answer questions that may come up, so the designers and developers can focus on the work.