It seems that every organization is thinking about or actually planning to change their website. Because it is such an important facet to an organization, administrators are eager to make sure that it is running optimally.

A recent Capacity Interactive article walks through examples of why user design is so critical and how it applies to an organization's website. It's important for a website to not be a barrier for customers. Every patron, old and young, will have some contact with an organization's website. Making clear pathways, branding effectively, and having tools like site maps can make a world of difference to patrons. 

Successful redesign requires analysis of current use and effectively diagnosing problems. The organization must ensure that they are evaluating any issues before committing to any material change. Sometimes an issue such as unclear branding or a lack of patron feedback can manifest itself as user frustration with the website. Misdiagnosing the problem can lead to wasted time and money, so it is critical to take the time to carefully consider the underlying issues before jumping into any big plans. 

In the linked Prezi,  common problems and solutions are listed out. After opening the Prezi, clicking through will systematically work through all of the problems, but it's also possible to just click on the area to find out more. 

Sources:

Andrei, Kyle, Steve Backman, Laura S. Quinn, and Jessica Peskay. “Do You Need a New Website,” Idealware. September 2014. https://www.idealware.org/reports/need-new-website-idealware-workbook/. 

Hipsher, Bill. “What are the Benefits of a Sitemap?” B2 Interactive. June 27, 2014. https://hurrdat.com/?msID=f01552fc-55f7-4c40-a85b-37257e04f8e2.

Hughes, Dan. “The Beginners Guide to Defining Buyer Personas.” Digital Marketing Institute. Accessed November 14, 2017. https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/2017-4-27-the-beginners-guide-to-defining-buyer-personas.

Lim, Winnie. “A Beginner’s Guide to Wireframing.” Envato.  June 18, 2012. https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-wireframing--webdesign-7399. 

Psomas, Steve. " The Five Competencies of User Experience Design." UXmatters. November 5, 2007. Accessed September 30, 2017. https://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2007/11/the-five-competencies-of-user-experience-design.php.  

Resmini, Andrea, and Luca Rosati. Pervasive information architecture: designing cross-channel user experiences.  Burlington, MA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc., 2011. 

Siang, Teo. “The Building Blocks of Visual Design.” Interaction Design Foundation. November 7, 2017.  https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/the-building-blocks-of-visual-design.

“ZIP Code Look-Up.” Claritas. Accessed November 14, 2017. https://segmentationsolutions.nielsen.com/mybestsegments/Default.jsp?ID=20&menuOption=ziplookup&pageName=ZIP%2BCode%2BLookup.