#10 Not budgeting for content creation.
No matter how it looks, or how it works, at some point people will actually read what you have to say. Re-using old content, or doing a bad job of writing it yourself is a quick way to turn a good project bad.
#9 Not planning ahead.
It’s impossible to plan for everything, -but not having your act together in the beginning means you won’t have it together in the end.
#8 Trying to do too much.
A small website today is better than a huge website a year from now. Keep an eye on what really matters to ensure your project actually gets off the ground.
#7 Doing it too fast.
We’re actually big fans of doing websites fast, – but not at the expense of quality. Do less, and get it online.
#6 Forgetting the purpose.
Somewhere, sometime, the project had a purpose. It’s important to keep that focus. If you can’t say in a couple of sentences what you’re trying to get done, – you’re off track. It’s easy to forget, – don’t.
#5 Navigation that forgets what users want.
People don’t care what your departments are called. They don’t care who reports to who within your organization. They care about accessing the information they’re looking for. Do them a favor, and help them find it.
#4 Too much content.
Sometimes all people need to hear is that you can do what they need. Website redesigns are plagued with a need to out-do the previous website. Most times it’s better to cut content, and increase quality. A small well done website is often the best sales tool.
#3 Getting baffled by technology.
Quit focusing on so-called SEO, and start focusing on building a great modern site. If you’re choosing the right firm, then they’re building a modern CSS based website that’s tagged, and keyworded properly to start with. There’s no need to “optimize” it because it was done right the first time. SEO is a legitimate practice, but most of the companies who focus on it aren’t.
#2 Getting in the way of the design.
There are a lot of politics involved in design. People, and departments all need to have their say-so. When you start letting internal politics get in the way of telling the story your customers need to hear, – you’ve lost sight.
#1 Picking the wrong developer.
Everybody and their brother builds websites today. Most of them are awful at it. They use antiquated techniques, bad design, and poor architecture fundamentals. Do your homework, get lots of quotes, study portfolios, talk about your project at length. Find someone who will make you comfortable during the process, and that you can trust.
Walmart is getting to launch a newly redesigned logo. The type is not bad… Better than you would expect. But what seems to be drawing the most criticism is the giant yellow icon next to the type. It basically amounts to an asterisk, but people are seeing all sorts of things: