Due Day 3 (Thursday, May 15, 2010) : List the reasons why a website would need to be redesigned. Why do you think it is important to always be planning the next site redesign for a company?
A company web site is capable of multiple business functions. At the simplest level, it operates as advertising. However, functioning at the most basic level doesn't make the most efficient use of web site capabilities, nor does it allow a business to use it as a business strategy. Adding an on-line catalog and purchasing functions allows a business to increase it's customer base in an efficient, streamlined manner. Additional services, such as customer support, can add more cost efficient functioning to a business' strategy.
One of the benefits of having a computer-based information system is the agility it has to respond to shifting business needs as customer behaviors fluctuate. In like manner, a company's website needs to be able to fluctuate with changing needs of a business' customer base. According to web researcher and lecturer Iain Middleton, the importance of a company's web site can not be diminished in today's business world. A site needs to be both flexible and functional, able to adapt with agility to changing business needs. According to his article published in 2008, businesses should take into account the following considerations of a corporate web:
Compliance/Accessibility--With content served from database sources it is possible to enforce standards through the use of templates which can ensure compliance with disability legislation and Web standards, as well as with corporate standards and style.
Multi-language Support--Organizations with multinational customer and employee bases require Web sites to cater for each major language group. Building separate Web sites represents unnecessary duplication of effort & introduces more risk of errors and inconsistencies.
Multi-device Support--Different templates can be applied to the same content to cater for different devices e.g. for PCs or mobile phones, ensuring maximum customer reach.
Personalization--Enabling user-targeted content to be served according to user preferences.
Document & Records Management--Capturing, managing, sharing, and destroying of vital records, e.g. suppliers, customers, and financials.
Content Management--Creating, managing, and deploying multiple Web sites.
Digital Asset Management--Digital assets from scanned documents to rich media formats and applications.
Workflow Management--Web applications to automate and facilitate business processes.
Collaboration Management--Extranets and other forms of collaborative work
Any of these points may lead to a site being redesigned or redirected. For many companies, entrance into the web arena begins with a site that is basically a billboard. The initial goals for this type of site is to make customers aware of their products and services and simply to create a web presence. Once companies experience the power of the web, many companies seek to add more on-line services, such as dynamic on-line catalogs, electronic payments, and customer support. Adding functionality, especially if it is interactive or adding media files, creates a need to update and possible redesign a site.
Redesigning a site may be necessary when a company decides to change the way it does business for any reason. A book store, for example, may find it more economical to complete all transactions on-line. Amazon is an example of such a business. Another reason for changing a site is a change in the functions of their site. For example, Lowe's Hardware stores has an on-line magazine, as well as tutorials for home improvement products on its site, adding both convenience and additional functionality for Lowe's and for their customers. Adding information that extends beyond the on-store catalog may lead to a site redesign as information gets difficult to navigate. The amount or type of information offered may require a re-organization and new navigational aspects to a growing site.
In fact, the reason for a web site redesign could be summed up in one word: "change". As a business grows and changes, it's web site should be reflective of that growth. In today's global economy, it is simply good business strategy.
References
(n.d). Web Site Management: Strategies in Large, Distributed Organizations. Retrieved from Faulkner Information Services: Faulkner's Advisory on Computer and Communications Technology (FACCT) database.
A company web site is capable of multiple business functions. At the simplest level, it operates as advertising. However, functioning at the most basic level doesn't make the most efficient use of web site capabilities, nor does it allow a business to use it as a business strategy. Adding an on-line catalog and purchasing functions allows a business to increase it's customer base in an efficient, streamlined manner. Additional services, such as customer support, can add more cost efficient functioning to a business' strategy.
One of the benefits of having a computer-based information system is the agility it has to respond to shifting business needs as customer behaviors fluctuate. In like manner, a company's website needs to be able to fluctuate with changing needs of a business' customer base. According to web researcher and lecturer Iain Middleton, the importance of a company's web site can not be diminished in today's business world. A site needs to be both flexible and functional, able to adapt with agility to changing business needs. According to his article published in 2008, businesses should take into account the following considerations of a corporate web:
Compliance/Accessibility--With content served from database sources it is possible to enforce standards through the use of templates which can ensure compliance with disability legislation and Web standards, as well as with corporate standards and style.
Multi-language Support--Organizations with multinational customer and employee bases require Web sites to cater for each major language group. Building separate Web sites represents unnecessary duplication of effort & introduces more risk of errors and inconsistencies.
Multi-device Support--Different templates can be applied to the same content to cater for different devices e.g. for PCs or mobile phones, ensuring maximum customer reach.
Personalization--Enabling user-targeted content to be served according to user preferences.
Document & Records Management--Capturing, managing, sharing, and destroying of vital records, e.g. suppliers, customers, and financials.
Content Management--Creating, managing, and deploying multiple Web sites.
Digital Asset Management--Digital assets from scanned documents to rich media formats and applications.
Workflow Management--Web applications to automate and facilitate business processes.
Collaboration Management--Extranets and other forms of collaborative work
Any of these points may lead to a site being redesigned or redirected. For many companies, entrance into the web arena begins with a site that is basically a billboard. The initial goals for this type of site is to make customers aware of their products and services and simply to create a web presence. Once companies experience the power of the web, many companies seek to add more on-line services, such as dynamic on-line catalogs, electronic payments, and customer support. Adding functionality, especially if it is interactive or adding media files, creates a need to update and possible redesign a site.
Redesigning a site may be necessary when a company decides to change the way it does business for any reason. A book store, for example, may find it more economical to complete all transactions on-line. Amazon is an example of such a business. Another reason for changing a site is a change in the functions of their site. For example, Lowe's Hardware stores has an on-line magazine, as well as tutorials for home improvement products on its site, adding both convenience and additional functionality for Lowe's and for their customers. Adding information that extends beyond the on-store catalog may lead to a site redesign as information gets difficult to navigate. The amount or type of information offered may require a re-organization and new navigational aspects to a growing site.
In fact, the reason for a web site redesign could be summed up in one word: "change". As a business grows and changes, it's web site should be reflective of that growth. In today's global economy, it is simply good business strategy.
References
(n.d). Web Site Management: Strategies in Large, Distributed Organizations. Retrieved from Faulkner Information Services: Faulkner's Advisory on Computer and Communications Technology (FACCT) database.
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