+

Eve SimonCreative Director

Beaconfire Consulting

Extreme Makeover: Taking your website to a new level

Ad Council Seminar SeriesOctober 1st, 2009

+

Feeling stuck?How to tell that you need to redesign your website.

+ Any of this sound familiar? “We’re rebranding

the organization, but let’s just swap out the logo on the web site, ok?”

“It’s fine that no one can find us on search engines – the right people know where we are.”

“Add a button on the homepage for the new content. Squeeze it in above the fold.”

“We’re missing out on this social networking thing. Fix it!”

Oh yeah, you’re ready.

+

“Flash is the future!” … and other website redesign myths debunked.

+ Myth #1“Design is universal.”

+ Myth #2“They do it, so we should too.”

+ Myth #3“Site architecture should reflect your org’s structure.”

+ Myth #4“Usability is luxury that we can’t afford.”

+ Myth #5“Twitter will save us.”

Ok, so then what’s the Holy Grail of design?It’s not magic – it’s a process...

“Don’t go there – it’s a silly place”

+1. Start a dialogue

Avoid design by committee

Interview stakeholders

Brainstorm

Ask lots of questions

Determine your target audience

Think like an outsider looking in

Be honest about likes & dislikes

Know you cannot please everyone

Challenge yourself to think unconventionally

Don’t over complicate

+2. Do Your Homework

Know the audience inside & out

Prioritize multiple audiences

Clearly define site goals & requirements.

Identify & prioritize engagement opportunities

Objectively identify the pain points

Understand the brand

Size up the competition

Gather all design assets

+3. Don’t reinvent the wheel

Follow best practices where appropriate Consistency Usability Typography Page balance & eyetracking Color & Contrast

Keep it simple

Read “Don’t make me think” by Steve Krug

+4. Use visual narrative to push action & engagement

Define your “voice” & stick to it

Select strong visuals & draw your audience in but don’t overdo it

Don’t be afraid of metaphor, but think it through carefully

Use straightforward labels

Keep the subject matter accessible to your audience

Show all available engagement opportunities clearly

Move people to “do something”

+5. Beat All Expectations

Create very different design options to select from

Never force a concept. If it feels like you have to explain it to your mother, throw it out and try again

Beware of visual stereotypes

Be picky

Deliver an “embarrassment of riches”

Stay engaged and on message throughout the process

+

Not Just a Pretty FaceReal examples of how mission, message & engagement can transform user experience

+American Lung Association

Before

+American Lung Association

After

+Wildlife Conservation Society

Before

+Wildlife Conservation Society

After

+

National Breast Cancer Coalition

Before

+

National Breast Cancer Coalition

After

+Tell the story through visual impact

+Focus on action

+Design for the audience (even if it’s not your aesthetic)

+Encourage interactivity

+

Secret sauce, silver bullets & the tooth fairyA great website is not about someone else’s fiction.

It needs to tell your story.

Own it.

+

Thank you.