Redesigning My Website

Why do organizations decide to completely transform their Websites? The question was particularly pertinent for me as I jumped into that very cold water and decided to rework my Website. Why did I make that decision? Good question. In retrospect, I did have justifiable reasons to take such a drastic step but I am certain that I really did not have a clear understanding of the implications of all the issues involved. Indeed, it seems that this is often the case with such decisions. I have consolidated some of the most pertinent issues here.

WHY REWORK A WEBSITE?

Regular visitors to a Website generally don't like changes. They are familiar with its idiosyncrasies and are able to quickly maneuver the familiar terrain. Arbitrarily changing a site's design – without making improvements in content – can have a negative effect on regular visitors So be careful before you leap.

Organizations decide to modify their Websites for several reasons:

• People are very possessive about their Websites. After a few years, they start to get the feeling that the content is outdated and the site is old-fashioned (and that may just be the case), but this can just be escalating hysterics. Redesigning a Website to improve its usability or customer-friendliness is justified. In that case, changing the design will probably improve your regular visitor’s experience rather than detract from it. But you are looking for trouble if you tinker with the look and feel for no good reason.
• Site owners may want to improve the way they present their services or products. They may have reached the conclusion that their success in their market can be improved with a redesigned site. Be careful. A redesign can increase visits but it can also do the opposite. For example, if navigation is enhanced, people will be able to find pages previously buried in unpredictable places, but the reverse can be the case and customers may no longer be able to find information important to them.
• A company is struggling to improve the way it meets customers’ needs. They have had complaints that their Website is confusing, awkward or even boring. This is also a valid reason to think about a rework.
• They want to make an impact and stay ahead of the competition. Sales people want to be sure that they can out-do the competition. It is not a bad idea to analyze your competitors’ Websites, but do it before you start putting money on the table for a site rework. It may not be as terribly urgent as your first thought.
• Visitors regard a Website as a reflection of the company. If your site looks professional and is full of helpful content they will also see you as professional and helpful. Likewise, if the site looks amateurish and out-of-date, they’ll make the same assumptions about you. This is why it’s so important for your site to properly reflect the identity and ideals and branding of your organization.

WHY I MADE THE BIG DECISION?

It may sound a bit irresponsible but I was simply fed up with the design of my site. Like last year’s haute courtier, Websites become dated. Layouts that were all the rage a couple of years ago now seem to be passé. Is this sufficient reason to dump a perfectly reasonable Website and set off on a time-consuming, nerve-racking and potentially expensive adventure? I certainly cannot give you a definitive response to that question. But I did it.

The second reason I wanted to rework my Website was to take control of the content. I reached the point where reliance on a Webmaster for every minor change was totally unacceptable. One of the best things about using a content management tool is the ability to immediately respond to market changes, new opportunities, and criticism.

JOOMLA – THE OPEN SOURCE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

I took the decision to seize the reigns and I starting looking for a suitable tool. I have worked with content management systems (CMS) that were customized for clients and I have not been particularly impressed by the capabilities these system offer. But I realized that that is the direction in which I had to go. I eventually approached my friend Shai Schwartz, who has considerable experience developing Websites within the framework of CMS.

With no reservations, he recommended Joomla, a free-of-charge, remarkably powerful,  content management systems for developing Websites. Joomla allows users to add and edit content without having knowledge of HTML or technical expertise in Web design.

Joomla certainly delivers a robust Website, and there are dozens of add-on components to implement enhancements. It even has functionalities to integrate forums or activate e-commerce solutions. It meets the needs of everyone from large organizations to small business and even home users who want a professional looking site that is simple to maintain.

One thing you will love about Joomla is the thousands of free or very reasonably-priced templates available. They save countless hours of development time.

That all sounds great but Joomla is anything but user-friendly. Don’t even thing about developing a Website in the Joomla environment by yourself – no matter what you read or what your friends tell you – unless you are a programmer. I sweated many hours until I got to something that approached what I wanted. But, once the site is up and running you have absolute control of content, and that is really great.

I am quite pleased with the results. I can fiddle with content, add material, add links and just about anything else I want to do. Joomla is certainly worth considering.