The “redesigners”
The Redesigners often rely on emotional responses to aesthetics in justifying a redesign. You’ll typically hear statements like these:
“It’s been 2 years since our last redesign.
Our current stuff just looks old.
A redesign would bring new traffic to the site. ”
Too often, look and feel, color scheme, layout, and identity are presented as solutions to problems discussed in these conversations long before regard is given to other less-aesthetic issues that may very well be the root of the problem. The old warning against treating symptom rather than cause comes to mind.
The “realigners”
In direct contrast to the Redesigners, the Realigners cite strategic objectives and user needs as reasons to consider a site overhaul:
“Market trends have shifted. Should our website be adjusted accordingly?
Our users’ needs have changed. Do we need to adapt?
We’ve added 3 new sections and a slew of new content to the site over the last 12 months. Are we presenting content as effectively as we can?
Our current website does little to convey the strength of our product offering.
Does our online presence enhance or devalue our overall brand perception? ”
Thus, the differences between Redesigners and Realigners might be summarized as follows: The desire to redesign is aesthetic-driven, while the desire to realign is purpose-driven. One approach seeks merely to refresh, the other aims to fully reposition and may or may not include a full refresh.
Converting to realignism
– Ensure a “raison d’être” exists. What are the reasons/objectives/purpose for realigning? I typically reserve a line in my clients’ project summaries specifically for this item, What is the raison d’être for this project? Remember to say no just as much as you say yes.
– Determine what level of realignment is required. Will minimal changes suffice, or is a total revamp necessary? A solid raison d’être will aid in answering this question.
– Evaluate user switching costs. What will the impact be to users of the site? How will they be forced, enticed, or encouraged to mentally “switch” to the realigned design and any changes to the user interface, navigation, color scheme, etc.?
– Determine the impact on launch plans.