Choose a Web design firm that understands how to communicate your message.

Can the design firm grasp the vision of your company or organization?

Does the design firm have a good business and marketing sense to help you target your audience?

Can the design firm help you organize your content and provide editing skills, in addition to feats of technical prowess?

Choose a Web design firm that designs for ease of use, not dazzling technology.

Can the design firm display your content, information, products, and services in a way which creates a unique visual identity?

Will the design firm prepare a Web site in which the user will fully understand whose site they are visiting and what's there?

Can the design firm devise a clearly and logically organized navigation system though your Web site that leaves the user no question about where they are and how to get to where they need to go?

Choose a Web design firm which provides personalized service.

Will the design firm provide face-to-face communications with you and your staff?

Is the design firm available to provide follow-up support and long-term maintenance of your Web site?

Can a big design studio provide a rapid planning to implementation schedule at moderate cost?

Choose a Web design firm with comprehensive experience.

Does the design firm have a business background and bring an understanding of business principles?

Does the design firm have solid editorial, writing and training skills and a track record?

Does the design firm have the technical expertise and proven development results for building the full range of small, medium, and large Web sites?

Beware the well intentioned.

OK, someone on your staff says he or she can do a web page for you. They've read "Web Design for Dummies" and picked-up a copy of FrontPage98. Sounds like a really good and cheap way to get up on the Internet. But consider these factors in making a cost-efficient and sound business decision:

Can your staff member (or their offspring) create a unique visual identity for you with custom designed graphics?

Will your visitors be greeted by a Web site which is crafted to be part of, and as good as, your overall corporate or organizational image?

Does your staff member have sufficient technical skills to create all the components of your site, including fast-loading, attractive graphics?

Will your staff member be taken away from more important tasks for which they actually have training?

Will your staff member have the time to continue to maintain the Web site after it is created?