Stop Building Websites Backward: How to Avoid Costly Redesign Mistakes

If you’re preparing to redesign your website or have recently launched a new one only to be disappointed with the results, you’re not alone. Too often, businesses approach website redesigns with the wrong starting point: the technology. This backward process can lead to costly mistakes, user frustration, and underwhelming business results.

We’ve seen it happen countless times. Companies choose a platform—like Adobe, Salesforce, or Sitecore—and hire an implementation partner to execute the redesign. While this approach might seem efficient, it’s a recipe for post-launch regret.

If you’re frustrated with your site’s performance or about to embark on a redesign, let’s explore why starting with technology is the wrong move—and how to fix it.

‍

The Backward Process That Sets Projects Up to Fail

The technology-first process usually follows this sequence:

• Pick a technology platform.
• Find an agency that specializes in that platform.
• Design and implement the website based on the platform’s capabilities.

This process might sound logical, but it skips the most critical step: understanding your users and aligning the website with your business goals.

‍

When you start with technology, you:

• ‍Force Your Strategy to Fit the Tool: Instead of creating a solution that serves your needs, you’re adapting to what the platform allows.‍
• Miss Critical Discovery Insights: Without a deep dive into user behaviors and business objectives, the design is based on assumptions rather than data.‍
• Sacrifice User Experience for Speed: System Integrators prioritize quick, out-of-the-box solutions that fail to address unique user or business needs.‍
• Spend More Post-Launch: Fixing a misaligned website after it’s live is significantly more expensive than addressing issues during the initial phases.

The result? A site that looks good but doesn’t deliver. And worse, the realization often comes too late—after you’ve spent time, budget, and resources on a solution that doesn’t work.

‍

The Experience-First Process: A Smarter Way Forward

The right process doesn’t begin with technology. It starts with understanding. Instead of asking, “What platform should we use?” the first question should be, “What do our users need, and how can we help them succeed?”

The cornerstone of this approach is a robust discovery phase. This involves deep research into user behaviors, motivations, and pain points. It also requires aligning on business goals. Are you looking to increase lead generation, drive conversions, or streamline internal processes? These objectives should guide every decision moving forward.

Once you’ve defined the ideal user experience and aligned on measurable goals, you can evaluate the technology options that best support your vision. This ensures the platform is chosen based on how well it fits your needs—not the other way around.

Finally, implementation becomes a smooth and strategic process. With a clear blueprint in hand, the team can build a solution that delivers the experience your users expect while achieving your business objectives.

‍

Already Launched and Not Happy? You’re Not Alone.

If you’ve already launched your new site and it’s falling short of expectations, don’t worry—it’s a problem we’re well-equipped to solve. Many of our clients come to us post-launch, frustrated with poor performance, high bounce rates, or missed business goals. These issues often stem from the same root cause: a backward process. But there’s a way to fix it.

Our Transformation Assessment is designed to identify and fix these gaps.

• ‍Pinpoint Problems: We analyze where your site is underperforming, from user journey friction to misaligned business goals.‍
• Evaluate User Experience: Are users confused? Frustrated? Dropping off before they take action?‍
• Deliver Actionable Solutions: With our recommendations, we’ll help you get your website back on track—quickly and effectively

Through this assessment, we evaluate your site’s user experience, business alignment, and performance. We dig deep into user behaviors, identifying areas of friction and missed opportunities. Then, we provide clear, actionable recommendations to fix the issues and get your site on track to meet its goals..

‍

Don’t Let Your Website Be an Expensive Regret

A website redesign or new build is a significant investment. It’s not something you do every year, and the stakes are high. With the right process, your website can become a powerful tool for growth—a seamless experience that delights users and drives measurable business results.

But if you get it wrong, the consequences are just as significant. Poor performance, frustrated users, and lost revenue are just the beginning. And fixing those mistakes post-launch can cost far more than getting it right the first time.