Why sites do redesigns
Monday March 31, 2008
The BBC redesigned their site today (well, they launched their redesign) and they had some interesting comments about why they did the redesign and what it means for their site and their readers. As you may know, About.com is working on a redesign right now. We're doing an A/B test - so some people see the old design and some the new. Another way to do a redesign is to create an iterative redesign - this is how sites like Amazon add new features. How do you set up redesigns on your sites?
Comments
Statistics show the sites to have redesigns have a great ROI.
Most web designs and re-designs seem to go for the Darth Vader look — black background, gray type, small typeface.
When are web designers going to recognize that visitors want CONTENT, not Cuteness. And READABILITY.
I thouroughly hate redesigns ! just when you know how to navigate a site, there you go, it’s all changed !
Plus NOT ALL redesigns are THAT appealling, ie, amazon.co.uk is awful ! I hate absolutely everything about it, the blue colour, the display,the look (its “squareness when it used to be rounded) and navigation ! it was a lot brighter, “appetizing” and so easy to go about once you knew the way ! I used to use it A LOT, now I hardly go there - they’re losing my “random” custom - I now only go if I really have to -
Also when sites redesign without warning you wonder whether they are bonafide, “the real thing” or a phishing scam….
I have not seen the new BBC site, cannot comment on it, but I liked the old one -
I can understand technology advances quickly and sites might need adjustments, but total redesigns are not always necessary. More often than not, they lose out where I’m concerned.
Forgot to add I DREAD the change of About.com ! it’s a site I navigate A TREMENDOUS LOT AND TOTALLY LOVE(D???)= I have subscribed to quite a few of their newsletters - let’s hope for the best, that’s all I can say. Fingers crossed !
I kind of disagree with Cat. I think About.com is BAD, and I don’t consider myself an expert in design. I don’t know how long About.com has been around but it looks like Web 1.0 or maybe Beta 1.
Web redesigners seem to be people who do not understand the difference between activity and achievement. They seem to think that they have to be active in order to justify their continued employment. The old proverb is right: the Devil does find mischief for idle hands to do.
Two years ago I was told that the biggest site I had made so far needed to be redisigned. (and not by me, by the way) The reason? “It has not changed in three years. People enter and leave because they think it’s the same they saw two years ago”. The site has touristic information, of course it doesn’t change so much. A lot of money was paid to someone else and the site was completeley redesigned. Guess what? It hasn’t changed in two years! What now?
The BBC did an excellent job.
Contrast that with my hometown paper (it recently got a new owner), which looks more cluttered than ever, and they are still tinkering from day to day. I especially hate the add running across the page when opening it.
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/