I am often called in to consult when a site, software or systems are not working correctly, either they do not deliver the benefits they were built for, or they are not as successful as the owners expected.

Working in an agency that places a heavy emphasis on design, it is easy to say that a new design solves all problems. Most creatives place a lot of emphasis on refreshing or changing designs, however this is just one part of the solution and needs to be used with a more holistic approach.

If you site is not giving you the returns that you expect, the design of the site is probably only one part of the solution.

Think about the following aspects of your site:

1. Navigation – can users find what they want quickly and easily
2. Signposting – are you highlighting the most important information
3. Leading and Calls To Action – make sure users know what to do on each screen
4. Information Architecture – grouping and arranging data into logical groups
5. User Feedback – engage with your target audience and get their input
6. Analytics – watching users move around your site can yield surprising results

Remember that if your site is not working, giving it a new set of clothes will not fix anything, using a more balanced approach will fix the real root of the problem.