Quality Certification

Stop stealing my business, jokers

[Filipe]

I was wondering if there had ever been an attempt made at licensing or certifying web developers and then having that certification or license supported by a major authority.

I see a lot of clients websites were built by developers who obviously had little clue about what they were doing. Is there any kind of certification out there that we could use to quickly identify the experienced from the inexperienced? Shouldn't there be?

[bignet]

I see a lot of clients websites were built by developers who obviously had little clue about what they were doing.

WorldWideWebb moves much faster than any paper-cert imo. Sites are the best certs for someone's ability to do a good job

[Quinn]

Is there any kind of certification out there that we could use to quickly identify the experienced from the inexperienced?

What better to identify the inexperienced than a bad site?

No certification + Experience = self-starter.

[Lilliabeth]

I have no idea as to it's value, but there is the CIW cert. I work at a training center, but we don't do any type of Web certs.

[Undead Hunter]

Those clients don't care.

That's not your business that they're stealing - or if it is, you better increase your rates.

I see the same thing - really poorly designed sites for manufacturers in particular, things tossed up by some IT guy with zero design experience. All the wrong colors, 1997 design, frames even. Couldn't be worse, unless some high school kid did it.

But guess what? The client doesn't care - their info is up on the web. They paid very little for it, and never have to think about it, and thus to them its "profitable". You're never going to convince them that a professionally graphic designed site is worth the investment - they're busy as anything making money, they don't have enough staff as it is, and this is just the most minor thing to them. It's like the letterhead for their paper, or the sign outside the door - just a small thing to knock off, something keeping them from making more profit.

Skip them. Instead, keep looking for the businesses with marketing savvy.

Oh, you could try setting an appointment to "educate them" on what a good website will do - but that's pretty condescending, isn't it? Imagine going to a car dealership, and having the salesperson lecture you on the kind of car YOU want to buy based on who you are...

[dickbaker]

I don't know if I'd pass the certification, but in 25 years of being a photographer I've seen some really bad work. And, as Undead_Hunter said, the clients don't care.

As for websites, I've found several that don't work. I mean they don't work at all: links don't function, graphics are covering up the text, error messages galore, you name it. When I've called these companies, I usually get a response such as "well, we don't use our website anymore." When I ask them why, they say because it doesn't work.

Duh!

[killroy]

How about performance? If you see a site that doesn't sell, make one that does and keep all the profits. What better way to proove what a good site can do then making one and making a ****load of profit.

I make "ugly" sites and make money. I know a lot of TOP designers that make gorgeous sites, and have the same problems, but when I ask them what the site does for their clients in the bottom lien they don't really know.

I've started doign more and more work "for free" in exchange for a revenue share. More profitable for me then a design wage could ever be, IF I'm good. And that's really the best certification I believe.

In other words, make sites for yourself, then you have a client who respects your skills.

SN

[chabbs]

Hi,

Actually there is something that exists out there. The International Webmasters Association - IWA offers certification programs.

[DrDoc]

There are various ISO certs, but I personally don't think it would be worth it.