20 Things I Learned from Redesigning My Church's Web Site
On Friday, I went "live" with our church's new Web site redesign -- a process that took about 2.5 months.
As a "veteran" of two previous redesign projects, I decided to do it again ... only this time without the aid of a "professional." In other words, I essentially did it by myself, with the trusted help of a gracious church member who is also a computer programmer.
Looking back on it, this all seems rather hilarious ... because I am an average graphic designer, of the print variety, who dabbles in Web site stuff for fun, knows how to work Photoshop enough to be dangerous, can hack code like a jack-hammer operator who is asked to fill in for a makeup artist (just look at this site's code), has a system of organization that includes stacking papers in piles and random Post-It notes, and is just dense enough and cheap enough to try it Lone Ranger-style.
So, as more therapy for myself than anything, I offer you these 20 lessons that I learned while going through my church's recent Web site redesign. (Really, this post should be titled "20 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Design Your Site by Yourself.")
Here goes ...
1. Web design is a time-consuming process. Plan to sweat, bleed, and cry. But mostly, plan to pull your hair out.
2. Ninety-nine percent of people don't have a clue how much time it takes. And they think when it's done it should be perfect. Quick, read No. 3.
3. Only Jesus walked on water. Web design doesn't happen overnight, or with the snap of a finger. Often, the process moves like the speed of a bureaucratic government process for buying toilets.
4. Everyone has an opinion and most people are experts. But for some reason, their high school guidance counselor pointed them to the wrong career field.
5. Professional web designers charge more than I thought. But they are worth it.
6. Buying and using a Web site template was an adventure that I both enjoyed and hated. And I'll probably do it again because, evidently, I enjoy self-inflicted torture.
7. Volunteers have family and work time commitments. But ...
8. Volunteers with genuine servant hearts, who just want to use their skills for the Kingdom, are a blessing to work with.
9. Meet the needs of a defined target audience and focus on their "experience." Imagine what they might be looking for or needing and give them a path to follow. Then try to offer something of value for everyone else.
10. Sometimes you'll forget the really, REALLY important things. Like a link back to the home page on the site's inside pages. [Hair loss begins.]
11. Learn from the Big Boys. Here, here, here, here, here
12. Perfection is an unrealistic goal. Refer back to No. 3, then read No. 13.
13. A Web site is a work in progress. Something will always need to be updated, edited, changed, deleted. Speaking of which, I should really stop typing this to go do some of that ...
14. Sometimes you just gotta "go live," even when some things are still unfinished. Refer back to No. 13.
15. Your sanctification will be tested. So find an outlet to relieve your stress by hitting golf balls, or going to the batting cages, or finding another line of work, like stocking shelves in a grocery store.
16. Patience is a virtue ... that I must continually rely on the Holy Spirit to provide.
17. Redesign is mostly about taking one more step to improve what you had. Baby steps, Bob. Baby steps.
18. When you're finally finished and "live," you'll see another site you wished you had. Or another toy or function you really want, I mean badly, but can't have because it would mess everything up and you'd have to start over because you didn't design for it.
19. A pastor (or boss) who believes in what you do, has confidence in your abilities, and empowers you to act is priceless. With that support in place, you can reach farther than you thought.
20. The last thing you do in a redesign ... is starting planning for the next one.
... thus is the life lessons of an amateur, do-it-yourself church Web site (re)designer ... who desperately wants a vacation far away from a computer screen.
Grand total cost (besides the lost hair, lost sanctification, and much frustration): About 65 bucks.
See what the site looks like now ... and then, using the super cool Internet Archive Way Back Machine, see how it has looked over the years.
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