Redesign decisions

How to Brief a Redesign Once You Know You Actually Need One

Once a redesign is genuinely the right call, a clear, evidence-based brief is what separates a site that solves the original problem from one that just looks different.

Start from the diagnosed problems, not a visual preference

A brief built around specific, evidenced problems ("trust signals aren't visible before the fold," "booking requires too many steps") produces a more targeted result than one built around aesthetic preference alone.

Define what must carry over

Existing SEO-performing content, working integrations, and anything genuinely functioning well should be explicitly protected in the brief — a redesign shouldn't accidentally discard what was already working.

Set measurable goals for the new site

"Make it look more modern" isn't measurable. "Reduce booking form abandonment" or "increase enquiry conversion rate" gives the design and development work an actual target to be evaluated against afterward.

Plan for content and migration, not just design

New content, redirects for existing URLs, and migration of any existing functionality are often underestimated parts of a redesign brief — gaps here cause the most common post-launch problems.

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