Site Redesign for a Major North American Media Organization

The Issue

Phase 5 was recently commissioned by a major North American broadcast and new media corporation to help redesign its regional Web sites. User research showed that the sites suffered from a range of problems including:

• poor usability;
• inconsistent navigation, look and feel that disoriented users;
• inefficient use of design resources; and,
• lack of a common brand.

Since each region approached Web development independently, the lack of a common information structure, navigation, and look and feel meant that production and development were inefficient from and enterprise perspective.

The Solution

Phase 5 created an information architecture and site structure for a design template that could be used for each of the more than 12 regional sites. In creating a better user experience, we addressed the following objectives:

• Ensured that regional developers and managers would support a common structure.
• Created a structure that would accommodate vastly different levels of content.
• Created a structure that could accommodate future enhancements to content and functionality.
• Met a one-month deadline!

Phase 5 used a three-staged process to develop a new information architecture:

1. Requirements Analysis. Information gathering included:
   • an overview of audience research and site traffic patterns;
   • a detailed audit of 16 regional sites, and;
   • internal stakeholder interviews.
2. Information Architecture and wireframe development. Based on the results of the requirements analysis, Phase 5 developed an information architecture for the regional sites. The schematic diagram (shown above right), illustrates the proposed scope and content of the sites, as well as the high-level relations among different site components.
   
   Phase 5 then prepared alternative sets of wireframes - or structural interaction models - to serve as potential frameworks for the client's regional sites. The wireframes represented high-level page layouts indicating placement for content types and common navigational elements. Functional notes included recommendations for labels, nomenclature and design considerations. An example of one of the pages is shown below.
   
   
   
   
3. User testing. Using the wireframes as reference, the client developed HTML mock-ups of key pages. Phase 5 then tested these with site visitors for usability and design issues. Based on the results of user testing, Phase 5 made refinements to the wireframes and offered recommendations for redesign.

The Results

By commissioning Phase 5 for its site redesign project, our client realized the following benefits:

• A better experience for site visitors.
• Consensus among stakeholders on a common design.
• The ability to streamline site development and maintenance.
• A process model for redesigns that could be used on many of the client's other Web sites.

Going Forward

Internal stakeholder consultation was critical to the success of the project. While the design was based primarily on user issues, consultations with more than 20 internal stakeholders:

• helped build consensus for a common architecture and look and feel;
• surfaced requirements that could create greater development and day-to-day production efficiencies; and,
• identified additional management and resource allocation issues and opportunities.

Are you contemplating a User Centered Design Project?

Contact: Michael Dolenko
(416) 599-7555 ext. 224