website redesign doesnt begin w/design | miva conference 2010

twitter #mmconf | @fuze

Miva Conference 2010 | session one

Redesign Doesn’t Begin With DesignRedesign Doesn t Begin With Designa three segment track presented by

Bryan Landaburu (@fuze)

President

Fuze


Hi. My name is Bryan.Hi. My name is Bryan.


FUZEFUZE


Particulars• A digitally‐led agency est. 2003

• We develop & execute campaigns for clients nationwide that include:– Web, application, system, UI design

– Content Management Systems

– Business process designp g

– E‐mail marketing

– Blog strategy

– Social & mixed media campaignsp g

– E‐Commerce development

– Search Marketing (SEO/PPC)

– Advanced analyticsd a ced a a yt cs

– Traditional creative services


Clients


These sessions are for…• People thinking about or running real online businesses

• People thinking about redesigning their business

• People who have outgrown DIYp g

• People learning to deal with volume and scale

• People who find it difficult to stay focused

• People who have been through redesigns before and it didn’t go well• People who have been through redesigns before and it didn t go well.

• People looking for unique ways of marketing themselves and their businesses

• People who face day‐to‐day challenge of dealing with their online business


Getting started…Getting started…


How many people saw this post on the Miva Blog?


Audience poll…

• Q) how many of those website projects started with “design”?


Audience poll…

• Q) how many of those website projects started with “design”?

• A) none


Anyone familiar with Internet Retailer?


A real‐life case study…IDWholesaler.com

•The leading online retailer for identification and security products worldwide

•Founded 2004•Over 30% market share

I t t R t il T 500 (#388)•Internet Retailer Top500 (#388)•Miva Feature Site January 2010

•Redesign version 3 – launched 8/2009•Full client control•SaaS integration – CMS, Miva, SearchSpring, PowerReviews, LivePerson, etc. etc.

•Extensive custom and stock module integration

•Complex pricing engine

•Over 40 000 customersOver 40,000 customers

•2,500 unique products•Full back office integration – automated order processing & fulfillment

•Approximate Volume: 200 orders/day

l $ *•Annual revenue: $17.5M*

*as reported to Internet Retailer 1/13/2010; revenue up 7.3% 2008 to 2009


Evolution circa 2004

Version 1 website 2004‐2007

Miva 4.x



Version 2 website 2007‐2009

Miva 4.x



www.idwholesaler.com


The challenge…The challenge…


The challenge• Migrate from MM4 to MM5

• Ground‐up platform rebuild

• Integrate promotions testimonials

• Vastly improve page load times

• Add integrated feedback

• Add bulk data managementIntegrate promotions, testimonials, campaign landing pages

• CMS framework

• User testing & input

Add bulk data management

• PPC to ROI Analytics

• Integrate order processing with legacy ERP systems• User testing & input

• Vastly improved on‐site search

• Maintain or improve SEO (URL it d d li k )

legacy ERP systems

• Migrate all content

• Port over all custom modules(URL rewrites, no dead links)

• Add product compare, configuration, reviews

• Increase orders

• Increase page views

• Increase bottom line revenue• Mobile friendly • Ok, but also…


Additional challenges• Platform decision lasts a minimum of 2 years

• Don’t lose any current features or functions

D ’t l h ki ft l h• Don’t lose any search rankings after launch

• Migrate and don’t lose any data– Content, categories, products, customers, attributes, pricing, orders,Content, categories, products, customers, attributes, pricing, orders,

purchase history, saved baskets, etc. etc. etc.

• No downtime during ANY business hours 6am‐6pm PST

h h ffl d• No more than 24hrs offline during migration

• Quantify all post‐migration metrics


Tall order…Tall order…

Where do we begin? Where would you begin??g y g


Fuze Methodology1. The Story

2. Project scope– Budgeting, features, wish list, phase

5. Design– More than page layouts

6. Multi‐phase developmentg g pplan, stakeholder definition, user profiling, timeline, project system setup

3. Competitive /Innovation Research

p p– CSS, CMS, Miva, Custom, Integration,

SaaS, Search, environment prep (x3+)

7. Testing4. Information Architecture

– team responsibilities, sitemap, data definitions, function list, module list, custom module specifications,

– validation, testing, changes, testing, validation, testing, testing…

8. Launch checklistV lid ticustom module specifications,

user/data/process flows, milestone, budget gut‐check

– Validation

9. Launch

10. Recap and monitor


Nuts and boltsNuts and bolts

Sometimes it helps to visualize a projectp p j


The storyThe story

more than an executive summary[link]


SystemsSystems

if your team is greater than 0, you need a system

to manage a large project[fuze project systems]


Imitation, the sincerestf f flform of flatteryPeople have expectations online, just because you’resmall, doesn’t make you exempt from these expectations.


Sample Sites

When we embark on a project we tend to short list a group of sites that match the buying habits of the target audience.

We also tend to present and review what isWe also tend to present and review what is innovative in eCommerce at the time. Using sites like these as examples, give you ideas for features for your own site.

Once features are consistent on the top 25Once features are consistent on the top 25 sites, you better start planning to have them on yours.

These sample sites were some of the 100s researched for feature inspiration onresearched for feature inspiration on IDWholesaler.com


One size fits all is illogical.(the term should be retired)

For another project we will be launching in the coming month or two, we reviewed a completely different set of sites, based on a completely different user audience.

Affluent, experienced online shopper, not seeking value, seeking unique, shop in boutiques, have a platinum card, read premium magazines, shop in premiere department stores or boutiques, age range is 27‐65, skew female.

This is our profile, what are these people used to seeing?

What do your customers expect?


Budgeting & ScopeBudgeting & Scope

Q) how much is a website?


Budgeting & ScopeBudgeting & Scope

Q) how much is a website?

A) how much is a 3 bedroom house?


Budgeting Factors• Business planning

• Marketing planning

• Business organization/experience

• How complicated are your selling rules?

• How custom do you want it?Business organization/experience

• Industry experience/position

• Product mix complexity

A t d t d t /i

• How many products?

• Timeline

• How many templates?• Access to product data/images

• Preparedness for online sales

• How many people on the team

• How many templates?

• How much integration?

• Previous project experience

• How will orders be processed

• How will inventory be managed

• Bottom line, we interview our clients the same wayth i t iHow will inventory be managed they interview us.

aphexafx


Fuze Gear System

FUZEblox

CMS

FUZEblox

CMS

Our methods incorporate three integrated systems working together on every page to generate content, navigation, and experience for the

ll d b h

SearchSpringSearchSpring

user, centrally managed by the company.

MivaSQLMivaSQL


The Miva Landscape• Bryan’s Opinion:

“The current framework Miva

• Your options when evaluating features for your store:

Out of boxincorporates allows our non‐Miva developers to work on Miva sites. That said, with WOMBAT, Miva Merchant is becoming more than

– Out of box

– Modules

– Customized modulesMerchant is becoming more than just a shopping cart, and more like a commerce platform. It’s still not an enterprise business system that can

– Full custom

• Most stores are a mash‐up of all these elementsenterprise business system that can

manage every operational and logistical element of your business.(but I love the evolution)”

all these elements

• Miva remains core, but we integrate the stack( )


Adapt, Buy, Build, ScrapAdapt, Buy, Build, Scrap

Decisions in the scope phasep p


Functionality Options• Adapt

– Twist your business process to match what is available

• Build– Spec and build your own

modules/functions• + saves money, fast

• ‐ limited flexibility

• Buy

• + you get exactly what you want

• ‐ potentially expensive, could add timeline, may not work with other functions, you are on the hook for

– Buy and install modules (mivacentral.com) to extend functions

• + minimal investment supported

functions, you are on the hook for support, no upgrades

• Scrap– You may determine that the exact • + minimal investment, supported,

fast

• ‐ built for someone else, not always customizable, not always

d

yfunctionality isnt what you desired, doesn’t work, or simply is too complex

K t h li tsupported • Keep a next phase list

• Know when to fold ‘em


Architecting & designingh b d hthe 3‐bedroom house

an information architecture crash course[ID Wholesaler IA documentation]**

**NOTE: this will not be downloadable


Take a walk with me.Take a walk with me.

a tour of IDWholesaler.com


Fuze Gear SystemHandles all store content, promotions, company pages blog etc Also

FUZEbloxFUZEblox

company pages, blog, etc. Also maintains overall structural elements.

S hS iS hS i

CMSCMS

SearchSpring

Intra‐site Search

SearchSpring

Intra‐site SearchGenerates fly out navigation, left rail

facets, compare, configure,PPC campaign landings, etc.

MivaSQLMivaSQL

Handles all product and cat images, product displays, maintains all customer and order data integrates withorder data, integrates with back-office systems for order processing & fulfillment.


FUZEblox home


Can your CMS do all this?


Home Features

LivePerson

Pervasive login and cart

Suggestive search

Printer selector

Fully controlled and config hero panelFully controlled and config hero panel (machine readable and mobile animation compatible)

Dynamic login <div> over hero

Full page control/promo control/testimonial rotations

Page level feedback engine

RSS feeds


Category pages

5 distinct category templates

Varriable and user controlled facet elements

CMS / Miva / SearchSpring powered

(depends on user selections)


Product detail features

Image admin & jQuery

MAP

Reviews

Addthis

Print

Volume pricing

Dynamic logo

Dynamic tab content

Dynamic document managementDynamic document management

Sortable related products

Dynamic add to cart


Custom MAP Functions

Ability to work within most manufacturers Minimum Advertised Price rules

Picks up at category and product levels

Temp accounts auto‐cleanse

Three MAP configurations:

1) Call for price

2) Temp account creation

3) Password challenge

4) Could establish other rules

Custom solution by Fuze & NetBlazon


Full custom account screens and functions

Order tracking and history – 1 click reorder

Saved Baskets – 1 click restore

Address book management


Post add to cart

Related products are sorted and relevant

Add to cart – resort relateds

Dynamic price/attribute display

Edit in basket

Save baskets (works as a quote system)Save baskets (works as a quote system)

Shipping estimation


Checkout process begin

Streamlined templates (no extraneous items)

Guided checkout

Address book integrated with standard miva

Extra fields throughout

Customer reassuranceCustomer reassurance

Coupon redemption

Pay on account

Tax exempt

Purchase order collection

Pure CSS


Module developers we useModule developers we use

extending functionality the miva “app” storeg y pp


Modules and tools…• Sebenza

• NetBlazon

• Customization

• SearchSpring*

• Viking Coders

• Latu – WowWowWidgets!

• FUZEblox CMS*

• MivaMerchant 5.5*

• Don’t rely on plug‐n‐play • New framework allows infinite customization

NOTE: Never shape your business around modules, find modules that fit your business process.

*core to every page function


The good, the bad, the ugly.The good, the bad, the ugly.

Not everything will go perfectly…and that’s ok.y g g p y


Easier than, or as expected• Content migration

• Integration with back office

• Central CMS management adoptedCentral CMS management adopted by business users

• Mobile functionality

• Staging and live environment• Staging and live environment syncing

• Migration to live

B k d t ti• Backup and restoration(thanks Hostasaurus)– We have 4 distinct instances of the

websitewebsite

Nationaal Archief


Areas for improvement• Timeline management

• Formal sign offs

• Unexpected team changesUnexpected team changes

• One‐step checkout

• Address2

URL iti & SSL ti• URL rewriting & SSL preparation based on FUZEgears

• Cling to bad initial decisions– let’em go!

• Data integrity – how many DBs does it take to make

Mi ?a Miva?Nationaal Archief


Good game…Good game…

After the laurel and hearty handshake, get your ass back to work.y g y


A few tips…• Make sure you have experience at the helm

• Whatever time you have in your project for testing, triple it

• Make sure you coordinate all your team effortsy y– Kickoff, ongoing, launch prep, and post launch

• Make sure you run more than one instance of your website

• If you are migrating your site and have good ranking plan to keep it• If you are migrating your site and have good ranking, plan to keep it

• Don’t try to cram in too much – be realistic

• Don’t make like‐to‐have’s, need‐to‐have’s 80% of the way through the project

• Make checklists – share them

• Smile, laugh, have fun…– You are about to spend more time with your project team than anyone else in your

life…don’t damage your relationships because in the end, you all need each other.


Q&AQ&A

ask awayy


Reach out and say what’s up

ifuze.com/miva ‐ slides

twitter.com/fuze ‐ twitter

bryanlandaburu.com ‐my blog

[email protected] ‐ email

877‐879‐3893 ‐ phone877 879 3893 phone

Use this


Next session…

When out of the box isn’t enoughWhen out of the box isn t enough.

Extending the power of Miva using SaaSg p g

website redesign doesnt begin w/design | miva conference 2010

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