“If at first you don't succeed … ”: web site redesign at the UNLV Libraries

To document a library web site redesign from start to finish, with special attention and emphasis placed on process – what worked and what did not.

Documentation and techniques used in the redesign are discussed in depth, with special attention as to why these techniques were chosen, how they were integrated into the process, and what problems were encountered.

One of the biggest problems with a redesign is the political dimension and communication issues involved, rather than the technical problems. Deciding what testing methodology to use to gather patron input and using that input efficiently in the site design are also a challenging area.

Since this is a case study, some of the problems encountered may not be applicable to other libraries in different environments. At the same time, many of the findings relating to problems with communication are general and could apply to redesign efforts in a variety of environments.

It is hoped that this paper may serve as a foundation on which a more generic process for effecting a redesign can be developed, one that may apply to all or most redesigns in all or most libraries.

There are very few papers in the literature dealing with the process of managing a redesign – most focus on other aspects, such as skill sets or test findings.