Steps of a redesign

Overview
Goals
Time estimate and team
Content review
Site structure and navigation
Finalize timeline and content
Visual design development
Production and proofing
Launch and maintenance

Visual design development

Design goals are based on analysis

• What are the overall goals of the site?
• Who are the primary and secondary audiences?
• What does focus-group feedback tell you about how the site design needs to evolve?
• How modular do the site components (homepage, navigation) need to be?
• What level of ADA compliance will you seek?
• What browser versions and platforms will you design for?
• Will you develop separate print style sheets?

Create visual design specifications

Homepage, templates and feature development

Once there's enough content or content types available, you can create sample pages based on focus-group comments and site goals. This phase includes

• art direction of photo shoots
• creation of style guide (color palette, fonts, photo treatments, etc.)
• creation of CSS files
• user-interface design for any backend programming

HTML specifications

The New York Public Library has a great example of HTML site standards.

Visual-design development, user testing, and approval

Ask prospective users for feedback on sample pages before moving to production. User feedback on sample designs can be surprisingly consistent.

Because we're a research institution, we're subject to federal guidelines when any kind of testing or survey involves humans. If you're not sure whether you're adhering to the guidelines, read the university rules for testing human subjects.

After users have helped you settle on page designs, get stakeholder approval before moving on to production.

This is also the time to do all of your cross-browser, ADA, and cross-platform compatability tests.

Design freeze

Once the design is tested, tweaked, and approved, design is frozen. This is imperative.The next phase cannot commence while design is still being debated.

Next step: Production and proofing

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Have questions or materials you'd like to share? E-mail Creative Services.