How to Plan For and Manage a Successful Web Redesign Project

1. How to Plan For and Manage a Successful Web Redesign Project Matt Herzberger Director of Web Communications Florida International University

2. After this, you will… Have a working knowledge of how to carry out a redesign process Know how to communicate and reach agreement with stakeholders Know the right way to get a premier site - not only in design but in function as well 2

3. Why We Redesign?   Why?   Shifting strategic priorities   Technology is ever-‐changing   Previous redesigns were done without planning 3

4. How Do We Redesign?   How?   On average, sites are redesigned every 3 -‐ 5 years   Don’t design simply to get a new look   Have an informed and strategic redesign that aligns with your institution goals 4

5. Let me give you a good example…   The site is not in line with being student-‐ centric.   IA is all over the place   Slow code, bad techniques   10 years since last redesign 5

6. Users talked, we listened   “Accessing FIU Mail is a headache. Isn’t there an easier way?”   “The information about life on campus is very limited.”   “As a prospective student, it is necessary to know which campus I would be on in order to decide if this is the . right school for me.” 6

7. Do as I say, not as I do!   NOTE: A redesign is ﬂuid; not every step is needed   Don’t be lazy and don’t disrespect or shortcut the process   Client needs to be heavily involved in the process 7

8. Discover, Research and Gather   Find all the research you have about your current site   Feedback, webmaster emails, analytics, etc.   Ask the users / audience   Focus groups 8

9. Review your peers William & Mary Bates College www.wm.edu www.bates.edu •  Bold imagery •  Useful persistent footer •  Big Branding •  Solid imagery •  Focus on audiences’ •  Great interaction needs 9

10. Conduct Usability Tests [1] Youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFwU_rvMBaE 10

11. Create Personas [2] /tmp/PreviewPasteboardItems/fiu-personas (dragged).pdf 11

12. The Website Strategy   Meet with stakeholders to get their goals; make them measurable[3]   Make a project plan (who needs to be at the table)   Create a schedule [4] and determine the budget 12

13. Content Strategy & Information Architecture   Create a content inventory [5]   Test the IA via focus groups, card sorts [6]   Make it obvious who is responsible for content and how long it takes   Teach them how to write for the web, or use a web content expert. 13

14. Define : Card Sorting Card sorting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-89cj71-Vfg 14

15. Build Wireframes   Wireframes [7] are simple tools for showing page structure and content requirements   This is where you get stakeholder buy-‐in on the layout. 15

16. Design and Mockup the Site  NOTE: If you are starting your redesign here, then you are doing it wrong! 16

17. Design and Mockup the Site   A draft or visual design, a.k.a. “comps,   It should be very easy because it is just a high ﬁdelity wireframes   Get feedback and get sign oﬀ on design 17

18. Create and Program Templates   Be sure to consider template requirements   CMS, Framework, Flat HTML, Development, Scripting   Test, test, test –   optimize code [8]   SEO [9]   accessibility [10]   Add your analytics [11] 18

19. Migrate the Content   We already proofread, revised and cleaned all the content   This is slow and boring, but be sure that you are reviewing the content and are consistent in the ﬂow 19

20. Test, Test, Test. Then Cleanup   Test code validation   Fix bugs   There should be small tweaks only at this point   Get ﬁnal sign oﬀ 20

21. Time to Go Live   Change the DNS move to live site   Be sure to remember redirects [12]   Monitor and review for little snafus   Notify and congratulate the client as well as anyone else who needs to know   HAVE A BEER! 21

22. After the launch: Train and Maintain   Train the team. Show contributors how to create pages and add content to the site.   Provide documentation and materials   Maintain your work. 22

23. After the launch: Care for Your Website   NOTE there are always iterations and changes.   “A website much like a child -‐ it needs our, or our clients, love and attention on a daily basis.”   If you have done it right, you should have a framework that will grow with your needs for some time to come [13]. 23

24. CONGRATULATIONS!  You’ve just launched a website!  If things have gone as planned, you won’t need to revisit this process as a whole for years to come. 24

25. Checklist   Discover, Research and Gather   Deﬁne a Site Strategy   Form a Content Strategy and Information Architecture   Build Wireframes   Design and Mockup the Site   Create and Program Templates   Migrate the Content   Test, Test, Test. Then Cleanup   Launch the Site   Train and Maintain   Repeat 25

26. Resources   [1] Usability Testing -‐ http://slidesha.re/hee-‐usability   [2] Personas -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐personas   [3] Client survey -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐client-‐survey   [4] Timeline -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐timeline   [5] Content Inventory -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐content-‐inventory   [6] Card sort -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐card-‐sort   [7] Wireframes -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐wireframes   [8] Optimize code -‐ http://yhoo.it/hee-‐optimize 26

27. Resources   [9] SEO -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐seo   [10] Accessibility – http://bit.ly/hee-‐accessbility   [11] Analytics -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐analytics   [12] Redirects -‐ http://bit.ly/hee-‐redirects   [13] Realign -‐ http://bit.ly/f3ZR9O 27

28. Questions Contact Me: mherzber@fiu.edu 7-0094 Web Communications: http://webcomm.fiu.edu Get the slides at http://go.ﬁu.edu/redesignﬁu 28

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