I am perfectly capable of coding a website myself, but that is probably not where my real skill lies.
-Ampa
If that's the case, then maybe it's better to partner with (or hire) somebody whose real skill is in coding rather than trying to be a one-person shop. I don't know how it works in the UK, but where I live, most corporations are extremely skittish about trusting something as important as a web design project to a one-person operation. And that's because most will not risk the exposure of being "single sourced." Nor are such fears groundless. What would happen to their project if you happened to be run over by the proverbial lorry?
The only solo designers (ok, one actually) I know who managed to successfully market herself as a one-person business did so because she had a brilliant portfolio combined with a stellar reputation in the web design industry several years before she went off on her own.
But even with all that going for her, she still 'hedged' her bet. First, she made it a point to part with her employer on extremely friendly terms. That alone netted her a deal of assignments from her former employer, thereby reducing her exposure once she hung out her own sign. Secondly, she banked a significant amount of money prior to leaving her corporate crib. But these are probably discussion points best left for another day.
The real problem with outsourcing is that there is an inevitable loss of control during critical stages in the production cycle. If you're comfortable taking that risk - or you're fortunate enough to have someone you can completely trust to deliver to spec, on schedule, and on budget 100% of the time - then outsource away. Otherwise, weigh the risks. It's your reputation that will take the hit for any failures, cost overruns or delays on the part of your suppliers. My sister (who is a graphic designer) often reminds her staff that a design agency's reputation is based on
everything that goes out its doors, regardless of who did the actual work.
Is outsourcing the HTML and CSS coding of one of my designs, a cost effective way for a web designer to prototype a website?
Yes, but again I'd suggest you do it by partnering with someone with the requisite coding skills rather than project shopping the work on the open market.
Please note there's also a lot more to webpage coding than simple XHTML and CSS. A good web coder will also be handling things like SEO and related e-commerce related technologies that go beyond what's needed for the the visual display of a webpage. Today, if you're seriously thinking of getting into web design for businesses, you'll need a lot more than graphic design skills to be competitive. In many respects, the e-commerce part of the equation is even more important than the website's design or 'internal' technology. What's the point of producing a beautiful and functional website if the world has trouble finding it?
Hope this was of some help.
Best luck in your new endeavor!
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