Best Practices: Defining Web Site Design Standards

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Abstract If you're like most large organizations, you may have hundreds, even thousands of Web sites to serve different geographic regions and markets and to reinforce your online brands. And you probably have existing design guidelines to develop your Web sites and to ensure consistency from a branding perspective. But, are you missing out on the three major benefits of Web site design standards? Reducing the initial cost of new Web site development and ongoing maintenance. Reducing the time to market for new Web sites. Leveraging corporate-wide Web site development experience across all Web teams. Most organizations fail to achieve these cost and business benefits and many fail to consistently brand across Web sites. Web site design standards apply not only to companies that have similar Web sites, but also to those with Web sites with a totally different look and feel, such as those for specific brands. Design standards should ensure consistency and, equally important, they also should ensure consistent visitor experience at all sites. Covered Topics     Who should be in charge of Web site design standards? Steps to develop Web site design standards (centralized versus decentralised companies, companies with single branding for all sites versus different branding sites) Who should or can initiate Web site design standards? How to get buy-in across the company? How to negotiate and agree on final approvement? How to develop effective standards document? What business needs What developers need Rollout and Deployment Pitfalls to avoid during development and deployment of Web site design standards Annotated real-life best practice examples   About the author: Written by Nicolas Bürki , founder of an European usability consulting company , recognized online marketing and usability expert, who improved Web site ROI for many leading global companies and eCommerce sites.

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