I directed a major website redesign and launched the new site within one year. Tasks included full re-planning of information architecture, introducing and developing new content types and CMS templates, determining new site logic and functionality, designing and coding additional views of the website (such as external 3rd party sites not covered in the SOW), and designing and developing new e-newsletter templates.
Developed new content types
After researching several model museum websites, I advocated for the addition of new content types and planned their functionality.
Events/Exhibitions
- I introduced new functionality to the site such as a clickable calendar of events that would lead users to a page of rich content relating to events and exhibitions. The page was designed to contain multiple tabs of content, slideshows, sharing functions, a dynamic link to purchase tickets, related multimedia and other related events.
Multimedia
- I introduced a new multimedia section to the site which served to both store our audio and video content as well as to allow users to browse and explore these assets. Using the collection section of the main site as a starting point, I designed and coded the multimedia section layout and worked with the developer to implement the functionality.
- I implemented the use of a Content Delivery Network to enhance the delivery of these assets in lieu of the youtube embed process that was used before. I then developed the fields the Multimedia content type would contain and planned its logic/functionality throughout the site such as on dynamic left rail blocks and within related multimedia blocks of events and exhibitions.
Cascaded design onto external sites
Once the design firm handed over the html for the 5 page layouts covered in the Statement of Work, I cascaded this design onto the museum’s shop, blog, and ticketing sites. In the previous iteration of the site, the design and user experience of these external 3rd party hosted sites was inconsistent and jarring as the design differed drastically. It was my goal to make the transition between each site seamless and undetectable to the user.
Blog
- Having migrated the blog onto our own server several months before, I was able to create a custom WordPress theme. I repurposed many of the original graphics and illustrations developed for the blog and integrated them with the design framework of the main site.
Shop
- I designed a completely new interface for the shop site and implemented it by custom coding within the shop’s management system, Counterpoint.
Ticketing Site
- I planned and coded the new design onto a series of 4 page templates which were then handed off to and implemented by the ticketing website developer.
Designed and coded new e-newsletter templates
Prior to the redesign, each department used its own e-newsletter template, which resulted in branding inconsistency. In order to improve the professionalism, I designed new templates and customized them for each department. I then coded the templates in such a way that it made it easier for e-newsletter editors to create and modify the templates within the allowed parameters.