Web ReDesign 2.0 | Workflow That Works
June 14th, 2005
A Project Management Framework for Web Designers
For the do-it-yourself web designer/developer who has learned enough to complete intermediate jobs, there comes a time when it is necessary to include others in the workflow of a project. Our talents eventually reach their limits and we realize we can’t do it all alone. What then?
Kelly Goto and Emily Cotler have provided a project management framework that is easily understood and applied to projects of almost any size. In their fascinating book, Web ReDesign 2.0 | Workflow That Works they share their Core Process for web redesign which provides a framework for task sharing and an overall timeline for the lifecycle of the project.
Very broadly stated, the core process consists of 5 stages:
- Define the Project
- Develop Site Structure
- Design Visual Interface
- Build and Integrate
- Launch & Beyond
Each of these stages is divided into a series of steps so that the workflow and process are absolutely clear. At the end of each phase, the authors have provide a check-off list so that the team can verify the successful completion of each task assigned.
Since I understand visual interface design best, this book’s detailed discussion of the development of site structure from content through sitemapping and wireframing has been very instructive. Though I have used all the approaches to site structure described in the book, I have seldom used all of them on one project and had no process that would ensure I used even one of them. The approaches to site planning are as follows:
- Site View
- Sitemapping
- Addressing Existing Site Organization
- Setting Naming Conventions
- Page View
- Wireframing
- Addressing Navigation
- Naming & Labeling
- User View
- Defining Key User Paths
- Developing the HTML Protosite
- Creating User Scenarios
The larger a project is, the more of a challenge it is to keep the customer and development team in sync regarding the progress and direction of the project. By breaking the web redesign process (and by extension, much of the initial web design process) into logical steps, each with its own deliverable that the client approves, some of the potential communication pitfalls can be avoided.
Though this is an entirely practical book, it is one without technical language or pretense. Every phase includes at least one case study in which the concepts discussed are applied. In addition, most sections include personal comments from industry leaders who understand how to successfully apply the concepts discussed.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone developing their project management abilities, either as a business owner or as a collaborator on web development projects. I am excited to have a toolkit to apply to my own web development projects and a framework for including others in that process. Thanks Kelly, Emily, and New Riders & Peachpit Press for this excellent contribution to applied project management for the web!
Recommendation: This book belongs on the shelf of everyone who participates in web development teamwork, and of everyone who is interested in how web development workflow can be managed efficiently.
Title: Web Redesign 2.0 | Workflow That Works
Author: Kelly Goto & Emily Cotler
Publisher: New Riders/Peachpit Press
ISBN: 0735714339
Date: 2005
Format: Paperback
Pages: 282
Cover Price: USD: $45.00 CDN: $64.99 UK: �33.99
Related Web Sites
- Peachpit Press
- gotomedia, inc. (Author’s Site)
- Waxcreative Design, Inc. (Author’s Site)
- Web Redesign (The book’s web site)
- Gomoll Research & Design, Inc. (Usability Expert)
- useit.com (Usability Expert)
- Omnigroup (Sitemapping Software for MAC)
- Visio (Sitemapping Software for PC)
- Webmonkey (HTML Resources)
- A List Apart (Web Standards)
- Dialup and Broadband Users
- W3C (Accessibility)
- Bobby (Accessibility)
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