Project Overview: A six-month project was undertaken to migrate a company's primary corporate website and 250 sub-sites from an outdated hosting provider to a new, more advanced hosting platform. The migration process involved not only technical aspects but also significant branding and design updates. The project's complexity was elevated due to the discovery of previously unknown 401 redirects, which required an extensive rewrite of web backend infrastructure. Additionally, the branding overhaul included new graphics assets, layouts, and content that needed to be integrated seamlessly across all websites.
Scope and Objectives:
- Migrate the company’s primary website and 250 sub-sites from an outdated server to a new, more robust hosting solution.
- Address and resolve unknown 401 redirects.
- Complete a comprehensive page rewrite to reflect updated SEO practices and website architecture.
- Implement branding updates, including a full graphics overhaul.
- Ensure a seamless user experience with minimal downtime during the transition.
Stakeholders:
- 20 internal stakeholders, including leadership from IT, Marketing, and Customer Support.
- Two third-party vendor teams, each with 10 members (20 stakeholders total), responsible for the technical aspects of hosting and the branding/graphics redesign.
Challenges:
- Discovery of 401 Redirects: It was uncovered later in the project that many of the sub-sites had 401 redirects in place that were not documented. This required a significant amount of time to identify and correct during the migration process.
- Branding and Design Overhaul: The graphics overhaul needed to reflect a modernized brand identity, requiring close collaboration between the internal marketing team and external website developers. All visual assets had to be optimized for the new host and responsive design across various devices.
- Stakeholder Coordination: With 40 stakeholders from internal and external teams, communication and coordination were essential. Managing differing priorities and schedules while keeping the project on track was a top priority.
- Maintaining Budget and Timeline: With unforeseen technical issues, there was a risk of scope creep and budget overruns. Strict adherence to change management processes was necessary to ensure any additional work (such as the 401 redirect corrections) was handled without disrupting the overall project schedule and cost.
Execution:
- Planning Phase: During the initial phase, detailed project plans were developed, including a risk assessment and stakeholder engagement strategy. The scope was clearly defined to avoid scope creep, and all stakeholders were briefed on the project timelines and deliverables.
- Discovery and Preparation: The project kicked off with an audit of all the sites to identify technical issues. Communication channels and platforms were created to ensure transparency and efficiency. Parallel to this, a branding update plan was established, including new design templates and graphics, ensuring alignment with the company’s updated brand identity.
- Migration Process: The migration was conducted in a 12 hour session during scheduled website downtime to minimize traffic lost. Tests and dry runs were completed in a staging environment to ensure any bugs or errors could be addressed prior to going live.
- Page Rewrite and Branding Integration: As the technical migration was underway, the page rewrite and branding updates were performed concurrently. This allowed for the re-launch of each site to feature both the new hosting platform and refreshed branding.
Results:
- On-Time Delivery: Despite the complexity and scope of the project, it was completed on time within the six-month timeline.
- On-Budget: Strict budget controls and the use of change management procedures ensured that the project remained within the original budget, even with the additional work required for 401 redirect corrections.
- Successful Migration: All 250 sub-sites, along with the primary corporate site, were successfully migrated to the new host, resulting in improved site performance, security, and scalability.
- Enhanced Branding and User Experience: The branding updates and graphics overhaul were integrated smoothly, leading to a more modern, visually cohesive online presence for the company.
Key Takeaways:
- Effective Stakeholder Management: The involvement of 40 stakeholders across internal and external teams required meticulous planning and communication. Weekly status updates, clear deliverable tracking, and strong collaboration tools were essential in maintaining alignment.
- Balanced Scope and Flexibility: While the scope was clearly defined at the start, a level of flexibility was built into the plan to allow for necessary adjustments without derailing the project.
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