The Challenge
In October a client approached me with a proposal they’d received for a full website redesign. The bid was staggering: roughly six figures and a timeline of nearly one year to complete. While extensive projects can sometimes justify high costs and long durations, this timeline seemed unnecessarily inflated. Short of building a fully animated or video-heavy site, a one-year timeline was excessive. The client needed a modernized website to reflect their growing organization and newly updated branded materials—and they needed it before next year.
Plan of Attack
To meet their needs, I developed a phased approach that prioritized high-impact deliverables:
- Focus on Heavily Trafficked Pages: We identified the most visited pages and tackled their redesign first, ensuring they set the tone for the rest of the project.
- Synchronized Phases: Breaking the project into manageable phases allowed flexibility to move faster or slower as needed while keeping the overall project on schedule. For example:
- Phases 1 and 2 took slightly longer than expected (2 extra weeks).
- Phases 3 and 4 caught up speed, with Phase 4 experiencing minor backend challenges but still staying on track.
3. Transparent Communication: Regular check-ins and progress updates kept stakeholders informed and ensured alignment at every step.
Staying Organized
Projects of this scope demand an exceptional level of organization and attention to detail to avoid delays or missed steps. I relied on:
- Spreadsheets and Tracking Tools: Along with Airtable, and Notion, a half a dozen spreadsheets tracked project phases, streamlined the feedback/approval process with leadership, and tracked timelines.
- Content Management: Roughly a hundred Google Docs were created to organize new content, manage revisions, and streamline the feedback/approval process between teams.
- Consistent Communication: Regular updates and detailed tracking ensured all stakeholders remained aligned and informed throughout the process.
These systems were critical in maintaining momentum, addressing challenges promptly, and ensuring the project stayed on track.
The Solution and Results
The project kicked off in October and was completed in late December—just three months, compared to the year-long timeline in the original proposal. Using a phased approach, we delivered a high-quality website redesign that met the client’s goals and exceeded expectations:
- Comprehensive Page Overhaul: Reviewed, created, and modified over 50 pages (both navigable and non-navigable).
- Resource Library Updates: Refreshed hundreds of post pages in the resources area.
- Streamlined Navigation: Redesigned the sitemap and navigation to improve usability and SEO.
- Modernized Product & Services Pages: Rebuilt these pages from the ground up, following best practices and user experience guidelines.
- Cost-Effective Delivery: Completed the redesign at a fraction of the cost of the original proposal.
- Accelerated Timeline: Delivered the project in one-third of the time compared to competitors.
By leveraging meticulous planning, strong project management, and clear communication, we achieved a refreshed website that aligned with the client’s branding and better represented their growing organization.
