Studio Press

Website redesigning is a specialized task. There are many web design agencies in the UK, the US or Europe and Asia, one needs to pick and choose a web design company carefully to ensure that the company has the required expertise.

Following is a discussion of what needs to be kept in mind while redesigning a website.

Recognize the reason behind redesigning the website:
A website design would require overhauling if it fails to reflect the changes in the vision and strategies of the company, when it does not enable the company to showcase its new products or services properly. A change in the business direction and needs of the company also requires the website to be made capable of handling the new demands. Whatever the case maybe, one needs to chalk out the reasons which have necessitated the redesign.

Check the website's current usability:
Analyze web traffic data and feedback from users to get a fair idea of website's problems from the user's point of view. Online surveys, face-to-face interviews, or usability tests can also be used to understand the needs and expectations of the target audience.

Take care of the redesign as a project:
A Website redesign is quite a major undertaking requiring proper budget, time, and resource management. Therefore it's better to treat each redesigning assignment as a project by clearly defining schedules, budget, and resources. It is also important to set up realistic schedules to avoid aggressive timelines as at times it can compel designers to take short cuts or bypass necessary consultation.

Update the content:
While redesigning, don't forget to review your website's content. Based on users' expectations and needs, review and reorganize your website content. Make it SEO friendly conforming to Web 2.0 practices. This way you will be able to give your site better information architecture.

Execute a CMS (Content Management System):
Since the needs and the aspirations of the target audience will always change, along with the progress in technology, there will always be a constant need to update the website's content. Hence, it is better to equip the website with a proper maintenance tool, namely Content Management System (CMS).

This will make the next redesign much easier task because you will be able to focus on the core design elements as the content will already be in an updated state.

There will be certain sections in the site which would require constant updating such as blogs, company news, updated service offerings, career opportunities section etc. Therefore it's prudent to plan out ongoing maintenance with your web designing company.