Extreme Makeover: Taking your website to a new level

Eve Simon Creative Director Beaconfire Consulting
Extreme Makeover: Taking your website to a new level Ad Council Seminar Series October 1st, 2009

Feeling stuck?
How to tell that you need to redesign your website.

Any of this sound familiar?
“ We’re rebranding the organization, but let’s just swap out the logo on the web site, ok?”
“ It’s fine that no one can find us on search engines – the right people know where we are.”
“ Add a button on the homepage for the new content. Squeeze it in above the fold.”
“ We’re missing out on this social networking thing. Fix it!”

Oh yeah, you’re ready.

“ Flash is the future!”
… and other website redesign myths debunked.

Myth #1
“ Design is universal.”

Myth #2
“ They do it, so we should too.”

Myth #3
“ Site architecture should reflect your org’s structure.”

Myth #4
“ Usability is luxury that we can’t afford.”

Myth #5
“ Twitter will save us.”

Ok, so then what’s the Holy Grail of design? It’s not magic – it’s a process... “ Don’t go there – it’s a silly place”

1. Start a dialogue
Avoid design by committee
Interview stakeholders
Brainstorm
Ask lots of questions
Determine your target audience
Think like an outsider looking in
Be honest about likes & dislikes
Know you cannot please everyone
Challenge yourself to think unconventionally
Don’t over complicate

2. Do Your Homework
Know the audience inside & out
Prioritize multiple audiences
Clearly define site goals & requirements.
Identify & prioritize engagement opportunities
Objectively identify the pain points
Understand the brand
Size up the competition
Gather all design assets

3. Don’t reinvent the wheel
Follow best practices where appropriate
Consistency
Usability
Typography
Page balance & eyetracking
Color & Contrast
Keep it simple
Read “Don’t make me think” by Steve Krug

4. Use visual narrative to push action & engagement
Define your “voice” & stick to it
Select strong visuals & draw your audience in but don’t overdo it
Don’t be afraid of metaphor, but think it through carefully
Use straightforward labels
Keep the subject matter accessible to your audience
Show all available engagement opportunities clearly
Move people to “do something”

5. Beat All Expectations
Create very different design options to select from
Never force a concept. If it feels like you have to explain it to your mother, throw it out and try again
Beware of visual stereotypes
Be picky
Deliver an “embarrassment of riches”
Stay engaged and on message throughout the process

Not Just a Pretty Face
Real examples of how mission, message & engagement can transform user experience

American Lung Association
Before

American Lung Association After

Wildlife Conservation Society Before

Wildlife Conservation Society After

National Breast Cancer Coalition Before

National Breast Cancer Coalition After

Tell the story through visual impact

Focus on action

Design for the audience (even if it’s not your aesthetic)

Encourage interactivity

Secret sauce, silver bullets & the tooth fairy
A great website is not about someone else’s fiction.
It needs to tell your story.
Own it.

Thank you.

Extreme Makeover: Taking your website to a new level

by Eve Simon on Sep 29, 2009

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Extreme Makeover: Taking your website to a new level — Presentation Transcript