Filed under: Content management, Usability, Websites
There are two major elements to most web redevelopment projects: the redesign of the existing site, and the selection of a new (or replacement) content management system (CMS).
These two elements reflect the underlying issues that typically drive web projects: the problems with the structure and content of the published site, and issues with the management and publishing of the site.
The temptation can be to select a single provider to deliver both the redesign of the site and the underlying CMS. This would, however, be a mistake. Instead, organisations are almost always better served by separating out the design and the CMS, and sourcing these from different providers.
Website redesign
The primary reason for the website project is that the current site is broken. Typical issues include poor site structure, dated design and out of date content.
To address this, organisations should follow a user-centred design process. This involves applying a range of usability and information architecture techniques, such as card sorting and usability testing.
[CM Briefing 2006-18, read the full article]