Description: Digital Thread's Designhaus is a complete listing of "the best web design firms" currently in business. Companies are categorized by type, and the youngest, most active organizations are included under "firms 2 watch."

Great site because:

• The site includes not only the best new firms but also those that have seemed to lose a lot of clientele or go out of business; a great resource for job shoppers and potential customers.
• Sites are continually updated, and many of the most innovative businesses that I have found do seem to be available at the site.

Digital Spinner's Web Designers Directory

Description: Digital Spinner's Web Design Directory a listing of many design firms that are currently in business in America (or the world, depending on the section accessed). While clearly the majority of companies are not listed, the resource does mention and describe businesses that are not listed in similar directories.

Great site because:

• The Web Design Directory allows visitors to search by state, then by city; this feature helps visitors easily narrow down options.
• The site offers not only links to all of the sites, but it also gives a description of the companies.

Madison.com

Description: Madison.com, which is Madison, WI's, equivalent of an online newspaper, includes all of the information generally found in a daily. What makes it a great resource is that it has dozens of job ads classified by field, just as they would in a traditional newspaper.

Great site because:

• The job information is updated daily, so people outside of the city have access to the same listings as people who receive the paper.
• The site takes a while to load at first, but once the classified section is open, it is quick and easy to navigate.

MadisonClick.com Web Designers Directory

Description: MadisonClick.com is similar to the yellow pages in a telephone book but is for online resources. One of the most useful characteristics for job shoppers is the fact that companies can be viewed according to the industry or field; in this case, the web design directory is being reviewed.

Great site because:

• The layout of the site is similar to Yahoo!, so the site loads quickly and is intuitive to navigate.
• In the web design directory, visitors can choose to turn thumbnail screenshots of each site on or off, so it can be easy to locate a previously-visited site by seeing its design.

Wisconsin.com Web Designers Directory

Description: Wisconsin.com, "your Internet portal to Wisconsin," does not have an attractive layout but provides great information on all aspects of businesses in Wisconsin. Sites are divided by category, such as web design companies, and can be viewed alphabetically.

Great site because:

• Wisconsin.com loads quickly due to its simple design, and it includes web designer entries that are not available in other similar directories.
• Each entry notes the location of the business, so job shoppers can help narrow down their searches.

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