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.

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. Before you start

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. Before you start

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. Before you start

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. Before you start

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. Case Studies

28. Kens5.com: Launch and redesign

29. Learn from your own news consumption
habits and trust your judgment

30. Manage expectations for launch

31. Improve your site in stages

32. Websites are always changing...
It’s never too late to get it right

33. Content matters... Build in flexibility

34. Think about all of your platforms

35. texancultures.com: Original

36. texancultures.com: Final

37. international.utsa.edu: Original

38. international.utsa.edu:Version II

39. international.utsa.edu: Concept II

40. international.utsa.edu: Final

41. international.utsa.edu: Final II

42. Resources

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 do you 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/