Processes evolve. Over time and several redesigns,
a few points screamed to be kept in mind: communicate with the
client, be scalable, plan to plan, test your assumptions, analyze
your current site, and so on. We ran these mini-philosophies
by industry leaders and newbies alike. The result? Our collection
of things to think about evolved into—drum roll, please—10
EXPERT TIPS TO A SUCCESSFUL REDESIGN.
The 10 tips presented in this chapter cover many topics:
planning, industry positioning, audience, usability, technology,
content, scalability and more. We will be addressing all of
these and more in the pages that follow. This is by no means
an exhaustive list; rather, it is a helpful group of things
to keep in mind as you progress through the phases.
Redesign is happening. Address the need. And stay on track
while you do it.
Tip 1: Think before you act.
Don't just put up a new site because you think you are behind
the times. This is a common trap. Understand that there is
more involved than simply designing a snazzier interface.
Plan to plan. A logical workflow will help you cover all your
bases.
Tip 2: Identify redesign issues and goals.
What is currently working on your site, and what needs to
change in the redesign? Review customer service calls and
e-mails—especially complaints. Conduct usability tests
to identify specific redesign issues rather than speculate.
Determine your goals and then execute accordingly.
Tip 3: Analyze your competition.
View the industry objectively. Look at competitor sites and
see what works. Compare features and services. See what works
by actually using competitor sites and your current site,
too. Understand how your site differentiates itself from the
competition.
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Related Links
Peachpit
Press
Peachpit Press, the publisher of "Web Redesign:
Workflow That Works," offers the book for
purchase on their store.
Macromedia
Their Website Production Management Techniques
site offers a framework for delivering excellent
user experiences, derived from extensive research
into the processes used by web professionals.
5
Questions for Your Web Development Team
John Allsopp asks the five pertinent questions
to ask yourself, your development team or the
web development company building your site names.
(subscribers only)
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 Tip
4: Involve your current audience.
Include your current user base in the redesign. Don't alienate
your current audience with sudden change; clearly communicate
why and when your site is changing.
Tip 5: Design for users, not investors.
If your site is not usable, your online presence risks failure.
Too often, usability issues are clouded by the requirements
of the advertiser or investor. Do not make the mistake of
designing for the wrong audience. Know your audience. Take
great pains to ensure that the needs of the user are compatible
with your business objectives.
Tip 6: Bring in your engineer early.
Consulting with a technical engineer (for HMTL as well as
application development and back-end needs) early in the process
will save you time and headaches in the midst of your project.
Your engineer will help you plan confidently and will clue
you in at every step as to what is technologically feasible.
 Tip
7: Believe in usability testing.
Redesign with your user in mind. Perform usability testing
on both current and redesigned sites during the development
process. Determine usability issues and seek to resolve them
with redesign. Nothing gives you more honest feedback than
watching someone go through your site. Can users use the new
site? Watch and learn, and then apply.
Tip 8: Understand content delivery reality.
Content delivery is a top schedule-buster in nearly all redesign
projects. Have a dedicated, client-side point person who gathers,
modifies, writes and delivers content on time. Don't underestimate
the need for a content delivery plan.
Tip 9: Set clear expectations.
Communication is key. Many times, a project starts beautifully
and then breaks down due to misunderstandings and misinterpreted
assumptions. Each document you produce should clearly outline
your goals. Make sure all team members are always on the same
page, speaking the same terminology.
Tip 10: Think long term; focus on short term.
Don't try to do everything at once; you will drive yourself
absolutely nuts. Redesign and launch in phases. In addition
to allowing for realistic delivery goals, an iterative approach
to launching also offers the chance for evaluation of the
redesigned site so that changes can be incorporated.
Excerpted from pp. 12-13 of “Web ReDesign: Workflow
that Works” by Kelly Goto and Emily Cotler. Copyright
© 2002. Used by permission of Pearson Education, Inc.,
publishing as New Riders Publishing.
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