Present A Redesign Concept…The Right Way
Crucial to any redesign, is the initial pitch. Sometimes that pitch can determine if you even end up getting the project, and other times that pitch can forever cement the future expectations, be that a good thing or a bad thing. The fact of the matter is, they always say first impressions are the most important, well the same if true with Web Design. Designs and developers alike, are put on the spot when they pitch their initial idea and how they perform can make or break the entire rest of the project. For those interested in ways to guarantee success with your next redesign pitch, I’ve put together a few pointers that I’ve picked up on so far in my career.
Start From Scratch
The last thing you ever want to do is assume too much prior knowledge on the side of your audience. When beginning the presentation, take time to discuss the site as if you were speaking to a completely new user. This gives the audience a chance to either learn something they may have been previously unaware of or the chance to compare their thoughts and feelings about the site to those of their newly appointed web designer. In the end you may find that starting with a solid backstory can improve overall understanding among all parties involved.
Strengths And Weaknesses
It is very important to understand that while you may be there to redesign a site currently in dire disrepair, if presented as a put down, it will likely be received as a put down. And that’s never good for job security. Begin by identifying key strengths. In most cases there are bound to be strong attributes. If the site hadn’t ever experienced success originally than there would likely be no need for a redesign so try to point out as much as you can that the previous site has done correctly. You can then transition into the weaknesses. When starting to discuss weaknesses, take your audience into consideration. Many of the existing site’s features were likely either conceptualized, designed, or developed by the very people to whom you are speaking so use tact in explaining why something is considered a weakness.
The Fix
It is highly probable that in today’s fast paced business environment, many audience members are simply interested in the “How.” As in “I don’t really care what is right or what is wrong, we’ve hired you to fix it, so what is your plan?” That is why the most crucial point for any redesign presentation is the explanation of “The Fix.” That is, a short and sweet discussion of how you plan to improve their site. Many find it useful to pull from the list of weaknesses and to explain why the redesign will not suffer these same issues. Others see it’s yet another part of the interview process and feel compelled to prove themselves through a thurough explanation of why his or her ideas are in the best interest of the company. Whichever approach you take it is important not to force any design or concept on the group. The company has given you an oppurtunity to be brutally honest, and at some point you will owe that company the same favor.
The Demo
One of the final steps in effectively presenting a redesign is to provide and intriguing demo. Now a demo can be tricky to develop, this is the first time you will be showing off your design so for fear of complete push-back you wont be looking to get too heavy into coding the entire site. Start with a few simple pages that give the audience a good idea of how both the site and design will flow together. And remember to take your time when developing the demo, the audience will expect a working version, the last thing you want is a broken link popping up out of nowhere. My final advice when presenting a demo of your redesign is to have fun and be confident about it, after all in most cases nearly everything you’ve presented will have been your own idea. You literally own the product, why not figuratively own the demo [if you catch my drift].
To Sum It Up
To bring it all to a close, my final thoughts are simple. The web is an ever changing, incredible place, and as web designers and developers we are given the unique opportunity to participate in the Web 2.0 revolution. The next time you are given a redesign project, keep these tips in mind when at first presenting it, and you could be on your way to success.
Beer Me!
