In addition to being part of the user experience committee that worked as a corporate team, I oversaw the re-launch and redesign of LAmag.com, managing the site’s development, functionality, and design for back-end and front-end users across our editorial and business departments.
Here is how I approached key areas of the project:
Homepage before the redesign
Architecture
In the information architecture stage we learned from research and user feedback that we needed to build a strong taxonomy system so that we could better group related content and serve it throughout the site. The priority was our content, so we wanted to spend a good chunk of time on the navigation and information architecture. By doing this, it reduced development time, it gave us faster access to the platform, and it gave us a beginning start to learn the CMS for a holistic redesign in the future.
Navigation
We updated the navigation and made it more clear for returning users who already knew how to navigate through the website, but also for users who are browsing and skimming content. This also allowed us to better incorporate sales opportunities by integrating more ad units within editorial content.
Templates
To keep flexibility in how we tease and display content throughout the site, we built the CMS with a modular mindset. We designed templates that could accommodate the needs of all of the company’s magazine titles, but that also offered us an ability to distinguish each website from another. With our editorial staff in mind, we developed admin tools that were easy to use and simple to learn. In addition, we worked to standardize our ad inventory and maximize opportunities for advertisers that integrate seamlessly with editorial content.
Design
Early on the wire-frame process, we decided we wanted to keep the current look and feel of the website, so I designed and updated the UI, color, typography, and layout to give it a more modern look.
Results
Lamag.com has increased TK in unique visitors and TK increase in pageviews. Mobile traffic increased TK
