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ACES Survive Redesign 2012
The document provides tips for surviving a website, app, or print redesign project. It recommends thinking strategically about goals, being a project manager to set expectations and schedules, doing user research, writing a creative brief, having one decision maker, testing extensively, and accepting that the redesign will be an iterative process of incremental improvements. Key aspects are managing expectations, listening to feedback, and having patience and a sense of humor during the process.
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Similar to ACES Survive Redesign 2012
ACES Survive Redesign 2012
- 1. How to survive a redesign
- 2. How to survive a redesign web, app or print
- 3. How to survive a redesign web, app or print
- 4. How to survive a redesign web, app or print (without drinking heavily during the process.)
- 5. Before you start •Thinkwebsite? App? Design? Who are your users? What are their the new strategically: What are you trying to accomplish with needs?
- 6. Before you start •Thinkwebsite? App? Design? Who are your users? What are their the new strategically: What are you trying to accomplish with needs? • Be a and individual pages. Set aSomeone has to think both big picture project manager: schedule. Make it work, but manage expectations. Get buy-in from all stakeholders (or as many as you realistically can). Make sure the higher-ups are on your side.
- 7. Before you start •Thinkwebsite? App? Design? Who are your users? What are their the new strategically: What are you trying to accomplish with needs? • Be a and individual pages. Set aSomeone has to think both big picture project manager: schedule. Make it work, but manage expectations. Get buy-in from all stakeholders (or as many as you realistically can). Make sure the higher-ups are on your side. • Do your homework: Knowlook forusers. Know your traffic. want, why they want it. Where they your it. Analyze what they Which pages are hit first? Which are NEVER hit? Do focus groups or surveys. Find out what users like, find out what your users hate.
- 8.
- 9. Before you start •Describe 5-10 adjectives that will describe the new look. about the top your site/app/publication: Brainstorm • This is a perfect time to bring in stakeholders and let them assist in the design process. • Be sure to define how you see each adjective for your designers. Clarify what you mean by fun, classic, friendly, et al.
- 10. Before you start •Describe 5-10 adjectives that will describe the new look. about the top your site/app/publication: Brainstorm • This is a perfect time to bring in stakeholders and let them assist in the design process. • Be sure to define how you see each adjective for your designers. Clarify what you mean by fun, classic, friendly, et al. • Write your creative brief: A creative brief is used in the marketing/advertising world to state who you are, who your audience is, and what you expect from your firm or your internal designers. . • Caveat: Even if you are designing in-house, this is a worthwhile exercise. It can help you frame your expectations and eliminate mission creep.
- 11.
- 12. Before you start •Do NOT redesign as a democracy: Your PM should be a benevolent dictator. Ask for input from users and stakeholders, but one person should be able to make the unquestioned final call. Be prepared to be firm and massage egos. • Caveat: If you aren’t that person, find the person who can be that person.
- 13. Before you start •Do NOT redesign as a democracy: Your PM should be a benevolent dictator. Ask for input from users and stakeholders, but one person should be able to make the unquestioned final call. Be prepared to be firm and massage egos. • Caveat: If you aren’t that person, find the person who can be that person. • Know yourcontent both for SEO an excellent time Less is more. reorganize your content: This is and for usability. to rewrite and Bullet points can be your friend. Videos, PowerPoints, slideshows. Think
- 14. Before you start •Do NOT redesign as a democracy: Your PM should be a benevolent dictator. Ask for input from users and stakeholders, but one person should be able to make the unquestioned final call. Be prepared to be firm and massage egos. • Caveat: If you aren’t that person, find the person who can be that person. • Know yourcontent both for SEO an excellent time Less is more. reorganize your content: This is and for usability. to rewrite and Bullet points can be your friend. Videos, PowerPoints, slideshows. Think visually.
- 15.
- 16. Before you start •Staging: Outline what HAS to launch. at launch. Build out a schedule with time to add/fix after be ready • Finally, plan the fun whiz-bang adds (blogs, photo galleries, new sections, videos). You can ALWAYS develop more content, but be sure you have thought through where that content will live while working on your design concepts.
- 17. Before you start •Staging: Outline what HAS to launch. at launch. Build out a schedule with time to add/fix after be ready • Finally, plan the fun whiz-bang adds (blogs, photo galleries, new sections, videos). You can ALWAYS develop more content, but be sure you have thought through where that content will live while working on your design concepts. • Avoid that post-launchAvoid deer-in-headlights panic. website the team paralysis: adds are fine. They keep your : ) Remind fresh and new. • Remember: You are eating an elephant. It will be finished, one small bite at a time.
- 18. Before you start •Staging: Outline what HAS to launch. at launch. Build out a schedule with time to add/fix after be ready • Finally, plan the fun whiz-bang adds (blogs, photo galleries, new sections, videos). You can ALWAYS develop more content, but be sure you have thought through where that content will live while working on your design concepts. • Avoid that post-launchAvoid deer-in-headlights panic. website the team paralysis: adds are fine. They keep your : ) Remind fresh and new. • Remember: You are eating an elephant. It will be finished, one small bite at a time. • Test, test, test, test: Test. Test Mac v. PC.sophistication standard browsers. Use people with different levels of Test all with the Internet. Test on mobile/tablet platforms.
- 19.
- 20. Before you start •Go CMS: There is NObyreason in the 21stDreamweaver.your site or app should be created hard-coding on century that Find a Content Management System. It adds flexibility to your site AND saves time for those doing the updates. Hard coding is nice, but not everyone can do it quickly -- or at all. • If your company won’t spring for even WordPress (which is free), then ask/beg for training on how to code.
- 21. Before you start •Go CMS: There is NObyreason in the 21stDreamweaver.your site or app should be created hard-coding on century that Find a Content Management System. It adds flexibility to your site AND saves time for those doing the updates. Hard coding is nice, but not everyone can do it quickly -- or at all. • If your company won’t spring for even WordPress (which is free), then ask/beg for training on how to code. • Don’t beAccept, move on,redesign may notthat there will be a That’s okay. afraid: Your and remember be perfect at launch. Phase 2. Google and Amazon make design changes incrementally. You should, too.
- 22. Don’t forget • Web standards: Section 508 of ADA is the law. You must make your site accessible. Use <alt> tags. Make sure the website can be increased in size. Don’t use Flash. Be mobile compliant.
- 23. Don’t forget • Web standards: Section 508 of ADA is the law. You must make your site accessible. Use <alt> tags. Make sure the website can be increased in size. Don’t use Flash. Be mobile compliant. • Your patience: Change is difficult. Be patient. Users will complain that the design has changed. Take a deep breath. They haven’t been staring at wireframes or mock-ups for months. It will take a bit for them to find their favorite sections.
- 24. Don’t forget • Web standards: Section 508 of ADA is the law. You must make your site accessible. Use <alt> tags. Make sure the website can be increased in size. Don’t use Flash. Be mobile compliant. • Your patience: Change is difficult. Be patient. Users will complain that the design has changed. Take a deep breath. They haven’t been staring at wireframes or mock-ups for months. It will take a bit for them to find their favorite sections. • Your users: Listen to the feedback. If there are consistent complaints a month (or two) into the design, they might be valid criticisms.
- 25. Don’t forget • Your sense of humor: Laughter will help you survive.
- 26. Don’t forget • Your sense of humor: Laughter will help you survive.
- 27.
- 28. Kens5.com: Launch andredesign
- 29. Learn from yourown news consumption habits and trust your judgment
- 30. Manage expectations forlaunch
- 31. Improve your sitein stages
- 32. Websites are alwayschanging... It’s never too late to get it right
- 33. Content matters... Buildin flexibility
- 34. Think about allof your platforms
- 35.
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- 43. • Examples: http://sixrevisions.com/web_design/an- exploration-of-website-redesigns-tips-and-examples/ • Tips: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/88563/ Ten_tips_for_managing_a_successful_Web_redesign • Tools: ✦ Dropbox (file sharing/collaboration) ✦ Mockingbird (wireframe mock-ups) ✦ Kuler (Adobe Pantone color mixer/palette finder)
- 44. • How doyou eat an elephant? Very deliberately, bite by bite. You survive a redesign the same way. Source: http://success.org/success/2011/12/how-do-you-eat-an-elephant/eating-an-elephant/
Editor's Notes
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- #7 Mention that you can either be the benevolent dictator, or you can create a firewall with a higher up who is willing to take the heat for what are really the PM&#x2019;s calls. \nCan either do face-to-face meetings, or set up an internal blog for updates/comments/critiques. Be careful, though, to be sure that you are clear that the final decision is the PMs. \n
- #8 Mention that you can either be the benevolent dictator, or you can create a firewall with a higher up who is willing to take the heat for what are really the PM&#x2019;s calls. \nCan either do face-to-face meetings, or set up an internal blog for updates/comments/critiques. Be careful, though, to be sure that you are clear that the final decision is the PMs. \n
- #9 Mention that you can either be the benevolent dictator, or you can create a firewall with a higher up who is willing to take the heat for what are really the PM&#x2019;s calls. \nCan either do face-to-face meetings, or set up an internal blog for updates/comments/critiques. Be careful, though, to be sure that you are clear that the final decision is the PMs. \n
- #10 Mention that you can either be the benevolent dictator, or you can create a firewall with a higher up who is willing to take the heat for what are really the PM&#x2019;s calls. \nCan either do face-to-face meetings, or set up an internal blog for updates/comments/critiques. Be careful, though, to be sure that you are clear that the final decision is the PMs. \n
- #11 Mention that you can either be the benevolent dictator, or you can create a firewall with a higher up who is willing to take the heat for what are really the PM&#x2019;s calls. \nCan either do face-to-face meetings, or set up an internal blog for updates/comments/critiques. Be careful, though, to be sure that you are clear that the final decision is the PMs. \n
- #12 Talk about the relative value of focus groups. What can you learn from them? Look for trends in people&#x2019;s reactions. Don&#x2019;t focus on the negative. Preface group with the fact that locations of items have changed, and to not be frustrated by that. Look for true stumbles, not first confusion.\n
- #13 Talk about the relative value of focus groups. What can you learn from them? Look for trends in people&#x2019;s reactions. Don&#x2019;t focus on the negative. Preface group with the fact that locations of items have changed, and to not be frustrated by that. Look for true stumbles, not first confusion.\n
- #14 Talk about the relative value of focus groups. What can you learn from them? Look for trends in people&#x2019;s reactions. Don&#x2019;t focus on the negative. Preface group with the fact that locations of items have changed, and to not be frustrated by that. Look for true stumbles, not first confusion.\n
- #15 Mention that you can either be the benevolent dictator, or you can create a firewall with a higher up who is willing to take the heat for what are really the PM&#x2019;s calls. \nCan either do face-to-face meetings, or set up an internal blog for updates/comments/critiques. Be careful, though, to be sure that you are clear that the final decision is the PMs. \n
- #16 Mention that you can either be the benevolent dictator, or you can create a firewall with a higher up who is willing to take the heat for what are really the PM&#x2019;s calls. \nCan either do face-to-face meetings, or set up an internal blog for updates/comments/critiques. Be careful, though, to be sure that you are clear that the final decision is the PMs. \n
- #17 Must realize that some things are difficult to determine from a group seeing your site for first time. They will be unfamiliar with where their favorite links have gone. Don&#x2019;t mistake negativity about the site with meaning that you&#x2019;ve messed up. \n
- #18 Must realize that some things are difficult to determine from a group seeing your site for first time. They will be unfamiliar with where their favorite links have gone. Don&#x2019;t mistake negativity about the site with meaning that you&#x2019;ve messed up. \n
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