Top 5 Things You Need in a Web Developer

Christina Pilarski • August 25, 2021

We are Christina and Peter Pilarski, founders and leaders of CIPR Communications.


There is no shortage of companies and sole proprietors out there offering website development services, so how do you go about choosing the right one? We each put together a list of the five most important things we look for in a web developer.


Peter’s Top 5 Criteria for Web Developers


Peter’s list of essential characteristics for good web developers are:


  • A Strong Process: Your web developer should have a process-focused approach to your project, with a well-defined procedure to take it from the initial meeting to the launch of the site and beyond.
  • Flexibility: While web developers should follow a strong process of their own, they should also have the ability and willingness to make adjustments and accommodate your ideas, processes and needs. 
  • Good Project Management Skills: Along with creative ability and technical know-how, a web developer or web development team should also have the ability to manage their process and drive a project to completion, setting and reaching milestones in a timely, efficient manner.
  • Technical Ability: This is an obvious point. A web developer needs to know all the ins and outs of web design, as well as the digital marketing world of which their particular discipline forms a part.
  • Problem Solving: No project goes entirely to plan. Problems will arise and your web developer needs to be able to tackle them as and when they do.


All of these attributes are discernible in your initial contacts with a web developer. You can tell by their sales pitch and process whether or not they possess these five indispensable qualities.


What Christina Looks For in a Web Designer


There are several points of alignment between our two lists, but Christina’s has a slightly different angle.


  • Relationship and Personality Fit: Before you even start discussing the details, make sure you have found a person you can work with. Your project will take some time to complete, so there needs to be a strong synergy between you to keep it moving forward successfully.
  • Expertise: This aligns with Peter’s fourth criterion. Aside from being someone you can work with, your web developer needs to possess all the expertise and skills required to complete a web development project, leading to the creation of a website that will meet and exceed your business and marketing goals.
  • A Great Content Team: Our approach to web development is content-centric, as we explained in our previous episode. A web developer must understand your content needs and know how to help you fill your new site with great, relevant content.
  • Project Management: Both of us regard great project management as a vital core skill that any web development team must have.
  • “Will They Love You and Leave You?” Choose a web developer who has a process in place to support and assist you as you launch and run your site. You don’t want someone who will leave you without the ability to edit, change and adjust your site according to your evolving needs.


Listen to our in-depth discussion of these criteria in
our podcast.


Find out more about CIPR Communications’ approach to web design services by listening to the seventh series of our podcast. For more information about website design, from site maps to website development, as well as content marketing, SEO and our other services, read our blog, listen to other
podcast episodes, or contact us.


April 29, 2022
CIPR Communications, Certified Flourishing Coaching and Rumble Boxing Studio have teamed up to participate in the Canadian Mental Health Association's Energize Don't Hide event. CALGARY, AB, April 28, 2022 /CNW/ - Calgary businesses CIPR Communications, Certified Flourishing Coaching and Rumble Boxing Studio have teamed up to participate in the Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA Calgary) Energize Don't Hide event to raise awareness about mental health, build connection and community, and fundraise for the ongoing delivery and expansion of CHMA Calgary programs. These local companies are committed to helping the Canadian Mental Health Association's Energize Don't Hide Calgary campaign and are encouraging other businesses to participate through incentives and prizes. The first two businesses that contact Peter Pilarski ( peter@ciprcommunications.com ) to join Energize Don't Hide as a result of this challenge will receive a free Digital Competitive Analysis Report from CIPR Communications. Certified Flourishing Coaching will also provide complimentary Life Coach Training and Certification to the first individual or solopreneur who contacts Abe Brown ( abe@momentumcoach.ca ) to sign up a team. Additionally, Rumble Boxing Studio has agreed to provide $100 Personal Training Gift Certificates for a First Free Session, a Free Heavy Bag Class and Complimentary Group Bookings to all companies that participate in Energize Don't Hide. "We know that physical activity and a sense of belonging to a community can help to improve mental health," said CIPR Communications Vice President Peter Pilarski. "We wanted to take advantage of Energize Don't Hide Calgary to bring local businesses together to raise awareness, lift our collective spirits, raise some money for CHMA Calgary and have some fun while we are at it." In addition to challenging other businesses and individuals to participate in Energize Don't Hide, CIPR Communications invites registered teams to join their team every Friday for a weekly group training or outdoor fitness session, starting with a private group heavy bag session at Rumble Boxing Studio 17 AVE on Friday, May 6th at 1:30 PM. Interested participants can email peter@ciprcommunications.com to take part. "We are thrilled to host the CIPR Communications Team and anyone who joins them at Rumble Boxing Studio on May 6th," said Kealan Bailey, founding trainer at Rumble Boxing Studio. "While getting any kind of exercise is great for mental health, participating in group fitness adds a sense of community that enhances the experience and punching a heavy bag has many therapeutic benefits." Energize Don't Hide runs from May 2 to June 30. During this time participants are challenged to complete 3,300 minutes of activity and teams are challenged to complete 33,000 minutes of activity while raising money for CHMA Calgary's mental health programs. For more information, visit the Energize Don't Hide website. About Certified Flourishing Coaching The Certified Flourishing Coach Model™ is evidence-based and practitioner focused, meaning that it is based on science and psychology. "Evidence-based" describes an approach to medicine, education, and other disciplines that emphasizes the practical application of the findings of the best available current research. Essentially, it means that a concept or practice is supported by a large amount of scientific research. So, when we describe the Flourishing Coaching Model™ as evidence-based, we mean that we are taking the best available current research around people, change, and specifically how people flourish, and practically applying it with a coaching lens. About Rumble Boxing Studio Rumble offers a one-of-a-kind badass fitness experience, with a fight club meets nightclub vibe. We bring together a high-intensity boxing workout with the powerful platform of group fitness. We are more than just fitness; we are a community. All experience levels are welcome.
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