Your Web Design Process is Old and Sucks
Using the proper web design process is critical to the success or failure of your website redesign project. Most freelancers and agencies are doing it wrong. Here is a list of mistakes made when redesigning a website.
Going Cheap
Did you have your kid design your company website? Did you pay someone a few hundred dollars?
In digital, you get what you pay for. If you undercut the cost of a website the results will be lackluster. It may look decent, but it’s not going to do any good for building your brand or generating customers.
Paying a Flat Rate All at Once
Your website is built with software, but most treat it as a product you buy and forget about. I’m not talking about hosting which is just a low monthly fee for your website to live on a web server.
Building in the wrong order
In order for your website project to be successful, you should start working on content first, then the design. The majority of designers start with a design and try to figure out what to put into the pages. This results in poor continuity and confusing messaging.
Using the Wrong Project Management Style
In the earlier days, ad agencies adopted a waterfall style which was how they operated for print and other marketing. This process uses a timeline set with milestones for completion. These are like mini-deadlines that stack up over the course of the project. The problem with this is when milestones get pushed downline, the final stages get compressed and create disruption and stress.
A modern approach to web design project management is to use Agile processes. These are tasks that are put into sprints that move through the development cycle. This process is more circular and alleviates the problem with waterfall style.
You’re Not Thinking in the Right Terms
Are you still thinking of set it and forget it? Your website should be continually updated over time. Websites are software and digital marketing should be continually improved with new information and content. Your home page should be refreshed at least in two years.
Ignoring New Trends
Design trends are constantly changing and user behavior is constantly changing. If you don’t keep up your website will gradually lose relevancy and become a liability.
