Before redesigning a website, it's useful to take a step back. Objectives, users, content, governance, SEO and performance: some questions deserve to be asked before any technical decisions are made. A successful redesign isn't solely based on a new design but on a clear understanding of the problems to be solved.
What questions should you ask yourself before launching a website redesign? What are the most common mistakes? How can you avoid replicating the difficulties of the current site?
In this article, discover the key questions to ask yourself before launching a website redesign project. A checklist is also available at the end of the article.
What questions should I ask myself before redesigning my website?
Identify what is no longer working
Not what we no longer like visually, not what has aged but what prevents people from understanding, acting or progressing on the site.
For example: text that's too long, a form that's too daunting: these are all small details that end up wearing out users' patience. In short, anything that impedes the clarity or efficiency of the user experience should be the real priority when it comes to redesign.
Understanding user needs
Without user feedback, we often repeat the same mistakes... only more beautiful. Observing and understanding usage must come before graphic design. A well-designed site is one that has been tested, observed and discussed. Even some concrete feedback from users can reveal problems that no meeting had identified.
Check that the technical teams are ready
Good design is useless if no one knows how to maintain it or interconnect it. When redesigning a site, you need to think in terms of ease of maintenance and consistency between content and form. Otherwise, you create technical problems right from the start. Involve technical teams early in the project saves time, avoids unpleasant surprises and ensures that the new site remains solid over time.
Define the objectives for the redesign.
A redesign without a clear objective is like a journey without a destination. Before you start, you need to know what you want to improve: loading time, message comprehension, conversion rate, brand image or user satisfaction. When the goal is clear, every decision becomes easier to justify and more coherent in the long term.
Review the content
Changing the design without revising the words is like repainting damaged walls. Words are the user's first experience: they need to be simple, useful and real. Well-written text provides guidance, reassurance and the desire to move forward. If we keep the old content, we keep the old problems. A redesign is also an opportunity to review the tone, the hierarchy of messages and the way in which an organisation addresses its audiences.
Identify the causes of current difficulties
A disorganised website often reflects a confused organisation. Inconsistencies visible online often reflect internal silos, unclear responsibilities or a lack of shared vision. Re-engineering also means rethinking the way we work together, communicate and make decisions.
Can a website redesign be successful without starting from scratch?
A redesign doesn't always involve completely rebuilding a website. In some cases, a gradual improvement of content, architecture, performance, or user journeys meets the organisation's needs better than a complete overhaul.
Before embarking on a major project, it is therefore useful to distinguish between what constitutes a genuine need for a redesign and what can be improved on the existing site. This reflection often makes it possible to limit costs, deadlines and risks while achieving results more quickly.
A redesign does not transform a digital device by itself. It highlights the trade-offs that the organisation is able or unable to make. Without clarification of priorities, uses, and objectives, the risk is not that the redesign will fail. It is that the same inconsistencies will be reproduced on a larger scale.
Free resource
Preparing for a redesign: the right questions before taking action.
6 things to check before starting from scratch.