ShapedSI Journal · Web & software
Website redesign in Canada: preserve the working parts
A redesign should improve the experience without losing the parts people already rely on. Before changing the layout, identify the important pages, customer actions and systems behind them. That gives an Canada business a practical way to judge the new site and a safer plan for moving from the current version.
In this guide
01
Audit the site as a customer would use it
Choose the tasks that matter most: understanding a service, finding a contact option, sending an enquiry, requesting a booking or completing a purchase. Work through those tasks on a phone and a larger screen. Note unclear wording, awkward steps and places where the page asks for unnecessary information.
Keep a list of the pages connected to those tasks. Include links from search, advertisements, printed material and emails if they are part of the current business. Ask staff which pages customers mention and which requests need clarification. Those observations give the redesign a useful brief beyond a general wish for a fresher appearance.
02
Separate content decisions from the move
Decide which content stays, which needs a rewrite and which is no longer useful. A page should have a clear purpose in the new site. Do not keep inaccurate material simply because it is old, and do not remove a useful explanation simply because its presentation looks dated.
Plan the destination of each important URL. When the content genuinely moves, use an appropriate redirect to its relevant replacement. If the subject is retired without an equivalent, treat it as retired rather than sending every visitor to the home page. Keep the URL decisions in a reviewable list.
03
Check the systems behind the page
Confirm the domain and hosting access, form destinations, booking tools, checkout links and notification settings. Identify which integrations depend on a particular domain or account. Record the current settings before changing them, and keep a recovery copy of the site and configuration.
Test a preview with the actual content and representative customer journeys. Check that a form submission reaches the intended destination in an approved test, and that any checkout belongs to the correct business. Have the process owner review the confirmation messages and the information the team receives.
04
Launch with a short verification routine
After publishing, check the important routes again on the live domain. Look for incorrect redirects, missing images and a contact action that works in a preview but fails in production. Keep a named person available to review issues reported by staff or visitors during the change.
Use performance checks to find problems that the visual review may miss. A page can look attractive while loading slowly or moving around as it appears. Review real usage where it is available, keep the critical pages maintainable and make later changes in small stages that can be checked again.
Bring this to the conversation
A working brief.
- A list of important customer journeys
- A content and URL decision list
- A recoverable copy of the current site
- Verified forms, bookings and checkout
- A live-domain check after publishing
A few useful questions.
Should every old page redirect to the home page?
No. Use a relevant replacement when one exists. A visitor arriving for a specific subject should reach an equivalent explanation, not an unrelated destination.
What should we check besides appearance?
The critical links and customer actions, accessibility, account ownership and the way the pages load and respond.
Original sources
Sources and further reading.
Google’s Web Vitals documentation describes loading, interactivity and visual stability as aspects of page experience. Include those checks alongside the new visual design.
Shape the next step