Web Site (Re)Building

If your organization already has a web site, your technology planning efforts may focus on a Web site re-design. Web sites are not like fine wine. They don't age gracefully over time. The Web environment changes at such a rapid pace that day-to-day care and feeding of your Web site isn't enough to make it survive and thrive forever. Be prepared to go through a regular evaluation process to re-engineer and re-energize your Web site. This doesn't mean that you have to dynamite you Web site and build a completely new one from scratch (or it might) It does mean that you will be doing some rethinking and refocusing of your site's purpose, audience, structure, design, and marketing as well as reflecting on your results to date before starting a web-site planning process.

Web site evaluation is generally a three step process:

1: Internal Assessment
Establish Web Planning Committee and Review Original Plan/Goals

2: User Feedback
Conduct a User Experience Audit

3: External Assessment
Use Critical Browsing To Do An Environmental Scan

Perhaps the technology planning process will lead to your organization's first web site! The first question you will need to address is "Why the Web?" These days, a web site is becoming an essential communications tool for nonprofit arts organizations to publish information, promote your programs and organization, deliver services, fundraise, or make connections. To be effective, you need a thorough web site plan of action.

Resources

SpiderSchool: Evaluating Your Web Site

SpiderSchool: Building and Rebuilding the Arts Organization's Web Site

What do you do after version #1? by David Low, Web Manager/NEA

Reflections

Now that you've had a preview of a web site planning process or redesign process, where will you begin?

What information do you need to gather? What questions do you need to ask as part of your planning?

 

 

 

 


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