An interesting thing I’ve had to give some thought to recently is web application rebranding and redesigns, especially for applications that are already in relatively stable customer use. In the expansion stage, this can sometimes happen when a younger, hipper competitor begins gaining traction and making your UI/branding materials look stale in comparison, or as a result of hiring design-oriented people into a company that was previously heavy on tech and sales resources.
Redesigns also frequently happen because of issues revealed by expansion stage market research (surveys, lost customer reviews, sales team interviews, etc), which will tell you your brilliant design, logo, or user interaction scheme are uninspiring in a way your friends and employees probably won’t.
Here are a few resources I’ve come across that are relevant to the rebrand/redesign process, and that product and development people might want to keep on hand:
- Jason Lander’s Software Rebranding Tips
- OpenForum’s Tips on Rebranding Using Social Media
- Adventures in Entrepreneurship’s Rebranding Tips
- 35 Logo Design Resources
I’ll add to this list as I come across additional resources. E-mail or comment with any additional suggestions!