How long does it take you to design a website?

DizzyOC

Fellow graphic designers,

A question for you: How long would it generally take you to come up with the look & feel for a website? As in a photoshop file? If you work for yourself would you allow more time on your designs? Is there a difference in time allowed between those working for an agency and an in-house designer?

I'm not talking about a build here - just the design. I've had different job and some completely different expectations over the while so I have no idea anymore how long we should be given. I know how long it takes me - but how long do you give yourself or how much time does your boss give you?

thanks

/d

VMotion

DizzyOC, if you'd be interested to hear it from customer perspective:
I would expect a 3 to 6 sets of logos in different color schemes within 7-10 days.
Based on the logo chosen I would expect at the very least 2 different layouts within the further 2 weeks.
I would expect to have a rough work finished within 4 weeks and a polished working website within 6 weeks.
Stationary set can take additional 2-3 days.
This is the time frame for a brand-from-the-scratch graphics.

Hope this helps

Liam Byrne

VMotion wrote: »

DizzyOC, if you'd be interested to hear it from customer perspective:
I would expect a 3 to 6 sets of logos in different color schemes within 7-10 days.
Based on the logo chosen I would expect at the very least 2 different layouts within the further 2 weeks.
I would expect to have a rough work finished within 4 weeks and a polished working website within 6 weeks.
Stationary set can take additional 2-3 days.
This is the time frame for a brand-from-the-scratch graphics.

Hope this helps

Sounds about right for a really thorough project but can I ask a question - how much would you be prepared to pay for the above ?

Because if you add up the above then you're looking at 11 weeks, aka 55 days.

Do you really think that someone would pay an expert about 10K for the above, or even pay a novice 5K ?

VMotion

Liam, you are correct. It is for a proper design by a professional team.
It costs around 6-10K depending on the requirements and iterations.

For a templated solution there's always themeforest and DIY approach but if you want your web-home to stand out you don't go that way.

Liam Byrne

VMotion wrote: »

Liam, you are correct. It is for a proper design by a professional team.
It costs around 6-10K depending on the requirements and iterations.

For a templated solution there's always themeforest and DIY approach but if you want your web-home to stand out you don't go that way.

Fair play - it's rare for a customer to see the value in a proper development cycle.

In general (not always, mind) the market seems to want the results from your version for about one-third of the price, but with the same time & effort.

Trojan

I have one particular project we started in June 2010.

So sometimes it can take a while longer than expected

DizzyOC

VMotion wrote: »

DizzyOC, if you'd be interested to hear it from customer perspective:
I would expect a 3 to 6 sets of logos in different color schemes within 7-10 days.
Based on the logo chosen I would expect at the very least 2 different layouts within the further 2 weeks.
I would expect to have a rough work finished within 4 weeks and a polished working website within 6 weeks.
Stationary set can take additional 2-3 days.
This is the time frame for a brand-from-the-scratch graphics.

Hope this helps

Very interesting. You're a rare form of customer it seems - have only ever worked for a couple like you!

I asked the question because now it seems I'll get given a project in the morning from the "Design Consultant" for whom i work and be expected to have a couple of solutions by lunch! Logos or websites. I find this ridiculous - but have started wondering recently if i'm just really, really slow! Crisis of confidence!

I know your time frame above would be for a total overhaul and constitutes plenty of thinking time too, (always required - the shower has been particularly good for me over the years for ideas!) but for a new website for example, a morning would be ridiculous, no?

Would you want to pay for something produced that quickly?
I'm actually pretty sure I know the answer!

DizzyOC

Trojan wrote: »

I have one particular project we started in June 2010.

So sometimes it can take a while longer than expected

That's pretty impressive in fairness! *doffs cap*

DizzyOC

Could you guys possibly throw an eye over this and pass a word or two for me? Would really appreciate it...
http://darraghkelly.com/samplesite.png

Giblet

DizzyOC wrote: »

Could you guys possibly throw an eye over this and pass a word or two for me? Would really appreciate it...
http://darraghkelly.com/samplesite.png

The colouring is inconsistent, and quite jarring. You use 3 greens in the top right for contact information with different font sizes, and a different green gradient in the menu. There is a textured and shadowed heading with a quite flat body which is also inconsistent. Otherwise it looks ok.

DizzyOC

Giblet wrote: »

The colouring is inconsistent, and quite jarring. You use 3 greens in the top right for contact information with different font sizes, and a different green gradient in the menu. There is a textured and shadowed heading with a quite flat body which is also inconsistent. Otherwise it looks ok.

Interesting. I was asked to sample a variety of greens throughout by the individual that did the logo & was specifically requested to make the contact details in the top right in different shades. Glad you picked up on that.
RE header/body inconsistencies: still a work in progress but yes, you're right.

constructive comments, thank you.

VMotion

DizzyOC wrote: »

Could you guys possibly throw an eye over this and pass a word or two for me? Would really appreciate it...
http://darraghkelly.com/samplesite.png

DizzyOC, this is quite good as a first sketch.

I would agree that contact info on the top right is inconsistent in font and thus a bit annoying.
Might be try to make the lines of the circle that is behind the logo a bit thinner.
What if you bring the contacts below the line and pull logo higher?

But overall a very interesting concept.

Trojan

DizzyOC wrote: »

That's pretty impressive in fairness! *doffs cap*

It's "interesting" to me. Personally I far prefer the kind of projects where someone calls me at 3am:

"We need a new site designed & built for tomorrow afternoon's launch. We had to rebrand due to legal issues. (Yes, we are prepared to pay lots because of the urgency)".

Those are my favourite kinds of projects because I like the pressure.

DizzyOC

VMotion wrote: »

DizzyOC, this is quite good as a first sketch.

I would agree that contact info on the top right is inconsistent in font and thus a bit annoying.
Might be try to make the lines of the circle that is behind the logo a bit thinner.
What if you bring the contacts below the line and pull logo higher?

But overall a very interesting concept.

Thank you too for your ideas - have taken them on board though the slipping of the contacts beneath the line offers a slight imbalance at first attempt - might try compressing the header a little & see if that works.
have worked up the body a bit now too.

Other project needs attending to this avo but will be returning to this tomorrow morning - it was a quick put together here as always it seems - hence the thread, but hopefully will come together nicely. )

suggestions all appreciated - feel i'm needing a bit of design tlc at the moment. Battered confidence

DizzyOC

Trojan wrote: »

It's "interesting" to me. Personally I far prefer the kind of projects where someone calls me at 3am:

"We need a new site designed & built for tomorrow afternoon's launch. We had to rebrand due to legal issues. (Yes, we are prepared to pay lots because of the urgency)".

Those are my favourite kinds of projects because I like the pressure.

ye, those urgent ones are always fun - once in a while! I just find now though that i'm made to feel like an eejit if i haven't got two designs to 'sign off standard' by lunch time. It can't be done that fast every day, can it? Am I slow?

Pixelcraft

DizzyOC wrote: »

Am I slow?

No, you're just working in a bad web shop. Having to do 2 designs is nonsense, there's only one good solution, anything else the same designer makes will be substandard. Good design takes time.

DizzyOC

Pixelcraft wrote: »

...there's only one good solution, anything else the same designer makes will be substandard...

Talk about hitting the nail on the head - i always felt that but never *knew* it. Fantastically put!

Thank you.

DizzyOC

ok, i've just had another little go here - couldn't resist! some suggestions on board a few still to be made. thanks again...

http://www.darraghkelly.com/sample02.png

Giblet

Now my attention is drawn to the repeating motif from the logo (The green bits with the dial and the similar ones used ). It's a bit busy. I wonder how the greentec logo would look without it? Maybe only have it once (bookending the large hero image)

DizzyOC

Giblet wrote: »

Now my attention is drawn to the repeating motif from the logo (The green bits with the dial and the similar ones used ). It's a bit busy. I wonder how the greentec logo would look without it? Maybe only have it once (bookending the large hero image)

Hmmm. The logo is not mine & I was specifically asked to use the dial thing as a faded-feature behind the logo. It'd look less busy without that behind for sure but maybe i'd need to compress the whole header a little then as as there is a bit of an imbalance then. The logo itself is a little busy for me - if not unfinished but..!

Anyway I can't keep hollering back for advice the whole time - really appreciate the feedback though it has helped and has defo put me on the right track.

feeling a bit better about my capabilities now too - whatever about the design - this has been a good day!

Giblet

DizzyOC wrote: »

Hmmm. The logo is not mine & I was specifically asked to use the dial thing as a faded-feature behind the logo. It'd look less busy without that behind for sure but maybe i'd need to compress the whole header a little then as as there is a bit of an imbalance then. The logo itself is a little busy for me - if not unfinished but..!

Anyway I can't keep hollering back for advice the whole time - really appreciate the feedback though it has helped and has defo put me on the right track.

feeling a bit better about my capabilities now too - whatever about the design - this has been a good day!

Ah not the faded part, that looks fine actually! It's the smaller piece



It's a bit overused.

DizzyOC

Giblet wrote: »

Ah not the faded part, that looks fine actually! It's the smaller piece



It's a bit overused.

Ah I see - sorry. Read it the other way obviously! Defo room to play with it. Will have a think & a play. It felt bare earlier - maybe i over compensated! Thanks!

Trojan

I thought that was a submarine

VMotion

DizzyOC, concept is good But ...

If you were designing for us ... I would say shrink the header part, it is too tall and takes more then 30% of the page on 15" screen.
Further reduce the font of the contacts.

On the menu "c" letters look almost like "o".

Don't make the main text light-grey. Make it either black or a darker shade.

Do you absolutely have to have reds in the stripe below contacts? They are not used anywhere else on the page. Looks a bit inconsistent.

But you do have skill and unique style. Keep going!

Trojan

Regarding the actual design for critique, I recommend you post it up in the Website Reviews forum.

tramoreman

id have the colours all green
the bin id probably have a full picture of bin lid in the picture
just in case you havent noticed the word mobile in the top right you forgot to put a e in mobile

DizzyOC

Deadly stuff lads, thanks a lot. implemented now & looks super. Appreciate the help!
Trojan: didn't know of that board - do now, many thanks!