One Working Web
Beginning State
Bryan County entered the project maintaining two concurrently funded website platforms: an outdated legacy site that remained in public use and a newer replacement site that had been launched but was pulled following an administrative review, leaving the website project unfinished. The redesign therefore needed to solve more than an aesthetic or usability problem. It needed to establish a single, sustainable digital platform capable of replacing both systems, eliminating redundant technology costs, and restoring confidence in the County's website strategy.
- The original intent was to complete the new website on the secondary platform and transition away from the legacy site.
- An evaluation of both websites was conducted to identify reusable work, opportunities for improvement, and content requiring migration, modernization, or restructuring.
Initial Assessment
An initial evaluation determined that, while the secondary platform could support the website's core requirements, its limited design options and boxed, preformatted elements hindered the ability to move far beyond the previously launched and subsequently rejected site style.
Research, vendor evaluations, and peer-to-peer discussions with other municipalities identified a CMS provider that offered greater flexibility, stronger long-term value, and a more robust foundation for the County's future digital needs.
Project Objectives
- Select a CMS that balanced functionality, flexibility, long-term value, and cost.
- Consolidate the County's web presence into a single modern platform.
- Develop a resident-focused information architecture organized around services rather than departmental structure.
- Design an intuitive sitemap that simplifies navigation, improves information discovery, and provides multiple pathways to key services while maintaining a single authoritative source.
- Migrate and modernize more than 200 pages, forms, documents, and digital resources.
- Establish a cohesive visual design system through reusable page layouts, custom graphics, photography, videography, and multimedia assets.
- Improve the user experience through accessibility, readability, and intuitive content organization.
- Strengthen Bryan County's digital identity with a modern, community-focused online presence.
- Reduce visual clutter while increasing access to information and services.
- Eliminate redundant web services and reduce ongoing operational costs.
- Deliver a scalable website that supports future growth and evolving County services.
My Role
As Communication Strategist for Bryan County, I led the majority of a comprehensive redesign and migration of the County's public website. The project involved restructuring a large government information ecosystem into a resident-focused digital service platform, migrating more than 200 pages and digital resources, developing the site's visual and content systems, coordinating requirements across County departments, and implementing the completed experience within a new CMS.
My responsibilities extended from initial research and vendor evaluation through information architecture, sitemap development, page design, content strategy, migration, custom HTML/CSS, photography, video production, graphic design, CMS implementation, stakeholder coordination, quality review, and launch preparation.
The Challenge
The existing website contained valuable information, but years of growth had led to:
- Inconsistent page layouts and navigation
- Duplicate or outdated information
- Department-specific styling with little visual continuity
- Dense content that was difficult to scan
- Limited accessibility and readability
- A digital experience that neither fully reflected Bryan County's identity nor effectively served the diverse needs and expectations of the residents, businesses, and visitors who rely on it.
The challenge was to modernize the experience without losing the depth, accuracy, and operational value of the County's existing information.