[IxDA Discuss] Tips on Freelance Interface Design?

[Bill Fernandez]

Joe--

Assuming you've got the skills to deliver on the promise that you can 
design good UIs, then you've got to market yourself as a UI designer 
and attract the attention of those looking for that skill.

One way to do this is to build a website that is completely oriented 
towards selling yourself as a UI designer and that is rich with 
impressive examples of your UI design work.  If you don't have a 
portfolio of UI design projects then create some for yourself, and 
put those in your online portfolio.

Then you've got to get people to view your site.  Part of this is 
standard website SEO work.  But you can also write a UI blog, or 
write a column for a trade journal, and get references to your 
articles everywhere you can...

You can also approach people you've worked with in the past 
(especially executives and senior managers) and say two things: 
"I've started a business doing this..."  and "do you know of anyone 
that might need my services?"  If they have a good opinion of you, 
and if you don't put them on the spot by asking THEM for a job, then 
they're very likely to give your request some thought.

If you're like most tech people this will be very hard for you, but 
steel yourself to pull it off with panache, and you may be surprised 
at how often you get a referral.  Then follow up on the referral with 
all the social and conversational skill you can muster.

Good luck,
Bill


At 11:24 PM +0100 9/30/07, Joe Lanman wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>My name's Joe Lanman - I'm a freelance web developer working in the UK.
>
>I've been involved in the development of quite a wide variety of apps,
>mainly learning tools and community sites, from design through to
>development and testing.
>
>However, I think I'd really like to focus on the interface-design side of
>things and leave development to others - but I don't see many ads for UI
>contracts in the same way there are plenty of short term projects for
>PHP/Flash developers.
>
>Does anyone have any tips? Are there UI agencies out there? Do freelancers
>take on projects and then farm out the development to others?

-- 

======================================================================
Bill Fernandez  *  User Interface Architect  *  Bill Fernandez Design

(505) 346-3080  *  bf_list1 AT billfernandez DOT com  * 
http://billfernandez.com
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