Quality Assurance:
Interviewing Web Developers & Designers
When interviewing prospective web developers and designers, knowing what questions to ask will determine the quality of your web site and increase the likelihood of achieving your web site goals.
11 Interview Questions
...And The Answers You Want To Hear
- Will visitors be able to resize the text, using their browser's view menu, without "breaking" the layout?Yes. Each page should be resizable. All pages should accommodate a minimum of three sizes without damaging the layout.
- Will the web programming be hand-coded?This is not absolutely necessary, but it is strongly recommended. If the designer or developer will not be hand-coding the programming, be sure you understand the limitations of sites bult with WYSIWYG editing software.
- Will your site be handicap accessible?Yes. This also benefits visitors with temporary disabilities and those with slow Internet connection speeds who turn off images to reduce page loading time. Why limit access if you don't have to? (external link)
- If accessible, what guidelines are being targeted?You may wish to consult with your attorney. Consider a minimum of WCAG Level 1. (external link) Failing to comply with this basic level, your site would be completely inaccessible to many disabled visitors and could become a target for a personal or class action law suit. For information about legal liability associated with web accessibility, see our links page.
- Will the layout be CSS or table-based?The layout should be pure CSS.
- Will it be HTML or XHTML?XHTML
- Will the programming be "strict," "transitional," "frames," or "loose"?Strict is best. Transitional is okay if there is a valid reason. Frames have been deprecated by the W3C because they pose serious obstacles to accessibility. Frame-based sites are also more difficult for search engines to index. For both reasons, avoid building your site with frames. Loose means few if any steps are being taken to adhere to current standards. If you are paying a developer or designer, there is no reason to accept loose.
- If it won't be strict XHTML, why not?Strict XHTML is preferable but transitional XHTML is necessary sometimes. If interviewing more than one developer, compare answers.
- Does the developer agree to provide error-free programming?Yes, of course. Why else hire a professional? The concept of error-free programming is not intended to suggest you should hire someone who never makes a mistake. The idea is to hire someone who agrees to test for and correct mistakes. As a client, you have a right to expect the final product to be error free.
- Will all pages validate?This is a continuation of the concept of error-free programming. It is preferable to use a less strict document type (DTD) that will enable the site to validate, than to use a strict declaration with invalid coding. Whichever document type your designer or developer chooses, it is your right, as client, to demand that each page on your site will validate.
- How will I know if my pages validate?There is a wonderful free tool, provided by the W3C that is very easy to use. You don't need any technical programming knowledge or skills. Simply visit The Validator (external link) site, copy and paste, or type, the complete URL of the page you wish to test into the required box and submit the page for testing. Note: the URL is the whole address that appears in the address box of your browser. For example, to test this page, you would type:
http://www.nick-stone.com/tools.html
(It may be easier to copy and paste.) Testing a page takes only a few seconds. If the page passes, the results will congratulate you with a bright green banner. If the page flunks, the errors will be listed and the banner will be red.
Bonus Question
- Why do my pages need to validate?They don't. But valid (error-free) web pages yield important benefits. Search engines favor valid pages, so eliminating errors can improve search results. Error-free pages load faster. Pages with valid programming, in compliance with current web standards, are more likely to render properly on alternative devices or browsers. Valid pages enhance handicap accessibility and thus limit legal liability for accessibility issues.
Ready For Web Standards & CSS?
To hire the best web-standards and CSS web developer in Virginia -- in our opinion -- please call Nick Stone in Greene County, Central VA:
434-284-2840
or use our contact form.
