Managing Web Site Redesigns Margarita Figueroa, Earth Council May 2001 Web site redesigns or overhauls can be done in several ways. Depending on the internal capacity of the organization, size of content and other resources, the redesign can be done in-house or sub-contracted. Reaching a decision to redesign a Web site is usually based on various underlying factors such as lack or functionality, outdated content, change of technology, change of navigation patterns (such as dynamic database links), change of organizational mandate and structure, etc. It is important to review what state your Web site is in before starting to work on redesigning it and make a list of factors that you would like to change on the Web site. This will give you an idea of how much work will have to go into the redesign. In some cases a redesign is: A facelift: if your Web site only needs to update its look (because it's been the same for a long time), it might mean that the content and structure of the Web site is working for the organization. In this case, the redesign entails working on the corporate image while concentrating on communicating your organization's goals creatively through the use of graphics and colours. Keep in mind that the design should reflect the original goals and that the visual aids (photographs, diagrams, buttons, headings, etc.) can help communicate the message of each section of your site. An update: it is also possible that your Web site has effective