Design Process
1-5 Min read
Our Website Redesign Process
You don’t need to switch systems to successfully redesign your site. We help create a better user experience around key actions, and we give you the tools and training to work with new design systems.
Launch
Discovery
Build
Design
The Redesign Timeline
16 weeks to complete handoff
Discovery
weeks 1-3
01.Evaluate UX and Branding
Are visitors on your website doing what you need them to do? Together, we'll audit your existing site to identify issues that prevent sales or donations.
Then, we'll look for brand misalignments like outdated imagery, mixed color styles or problems with mobile responsiveness.
We document what's broken, what's salvageable, and what's standing in the way of your goals.
02.Map Content and Prioritize by Value
Which of your website's pages deliver the most conversions? We inventory all of your content to prioritize updates based on potential conversion value.
If you need help understanding conversions, we can also build out custom reports in Google Analytics. This optional step will also help you measure the impact of your redesign project over time.
03.Review Inspiration
Your website needs to say something about you. So what do you want that to be?
We'll collect reference materials that reflect the way you want site visitors to experience your brand. Inspiration comes from all over - editorial websites, partner brands, and industries far from your own. When we understand why you like some designs over others, that's when we start defining your creative direction.
What you get after Discovery
- UX & Brand Audit Report
- Conversion Priority Map
- Content Inventory
- Inspiration Board
- Rebuild Scope of Work
- GA4 Conversion Report
- Updated Brand Standards Handbook
Design
weeks 4-7
04.Create the Atomic Structure
Form and function come together once we have fonts, colors and an understanding of the message you want to send.
We use an atomic design system to create structural patterns and interactive elements that combine into flexible, modular layouts.
05.Page and Post Mockups
From the building blocks, we design static mockups of page and post layouts - as many as are needed to cover all the different types of content mapped in the project Discovery phase.
This gives you the opportunity to see what your site will look like and guide changes before we start building in your CMS.
06.UX Demos
We prototype interactive elements like navigation menus or form steps to see how redesigned experiences will target the conversion goals at the core of the project.
07.Revise and Review
With all the pieces in place, we host structured feedback sessions to walk through mockups and demos and talk about the experience in real time.
Realtime reactions help us revise designs based on what you call out -- and how you say it. We'll present revisions and alternatives where you need to see more, then lock in design decisions and get ready to build.
What you get after Design
- Static Design Boards with Notes
- Interactive UX Prototypes
- Finalized Build Scope
Build
weeks 8-12
08.Utilities and Templates
First, we translate the new site styles into global utilities for spacing, typography, colors, animations, layout components and more, centralizing styles to unify the look and feel of your website.
09.Structural Updates
Following the content and conversion priority map from Discovery, we reorganize your content library and restructure individual pages to point user experiences toward your one core goal.
10.Style Updates
Once the structural work is complete, the focus shifts to style. Here is where we apply our design utilities and templates, begin testing the flow of interactive elements, and match the build environment to the static designs.
11.Connect External Systems
You want to make sure your marketing, sales and measurement tools all work well *before* your new site launches. We will reconnect all supporting systems in the way that you prefer: whether that's using plugins or building from APIs.
12.Review and Polish
You've got a great eye for what feels right for your brand. Once everything is rebuilt, restyled and reconnected to other systems, we'll walk through with you to identify areas for a little extra shine.
What you get after Build
- Working Sandbox Website
- Reusable Component Library
- Working Third-Party Integrations
- Design Utility Cheatsheet
- Working Analytics and Conversion Reports
- Template User Guide
Launch
weeks 13-16
13.Testing
You want certainty that your site will work across all devices and browsers. We complete performance audits, check accessibility features, and test interactive elements to make sure they're working flawlessly
14.Launch
When it's time to go live, we'll push the button with you.
Launches are best completed in off-peak hours, so we will help you schedule the launch, then use low-traffic periods to continue testing the live site while watching real-user behaviors to identify edge-case issues.
15.Training and Handoff
You wanted a new look, not an entirely new way to manage content.
We help clients adhere to new brand design systems by building templates or other flexible designs. We can also schedule training sessions with your team and provide detailed online user guides, making content management simpler.
16.Ongoing Support
Teams that want to completely remove content management headaches can opt for ongoing publishing support. Send us copy and imagery, and we'll build each and every post for you.
What you get at Launch
- Your new site, live on the web
- Guided launch procedures
- Quality assurance report
- CMS training session
- Documentation and User Guides
- 6-month Conversion Tracking
- Content Publishing Support
Ready for a Refresh?
We should chat. Drop your info below and pick a time to talk with us about your goals for a website redesign.