You have probably heard the latest news about the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) flawed and expensive redesigned website. The project will come under fresh scrutiny, with the federal environment minister asking the agency’s new boss to closely examine how it all went so wrong and report back to him. It comes amid news that the website cost more than $96 million.

Large-scale website failures like this are rarely the result of a single misstep. They’re usually the outcome of compounding issues.

With complaints about the BOM website coming thick and fast (including that users found it difficult to navigate, and that changes to the radar map made place names hard to read), here are our six essential tips for nailing your next website redesign project.

Nail the User Experience Early – and Test It Properly

You need a solid understanding of your users: their needs, behaviours, and pain points. Develop wireframes and prototypes early so you can validate the experience before any heavy development begins. Conduct real user testing (not just internal reviews) to ensure the design is intuitive, accessible, and easy to navigate.

Thoroughly Scope and Cost Technology Integrations

Any integrations (CRMs, APIs, marketing platforms, databases, payment systems) must be clearly defined up front. Document what the integration needs to do, what data must move where, and any technical constraints. Get accurate costing from developers or vendors early, so you’re not hit with unexpected expenses late in the project.

Maintain Discipline Around Scope and Budget

Once your scope is approved, protect it. Scope creep is one of the biggest causes of delays and budget blowouts. Use change-control processes so new requests are evaluated properly, costed, and scheduled for later phases if needed. Stay transparent with stakeholders about what’s in and what’s out.

Launch Proactively and Manage Expectations

A website launch is not a “switch it on and hope for the best” moment. Communicate early and often with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders. Let them know what’s changing, why it’s changing, and what benefits to expect. Provide support resources, FAQs, or guides to help smooth the transition and minimise confusion. And never go live on a Friday!

Have a Clear Rollback and Contingency Plan

Even the best-prepared projects can hit unexpected issues on launch day. Before going live, define what triggers a rollback, who makes the decision, and how it will be executed. Ensure backups, prior versions, and technical resources are ready so you can quickly revert if something doesn’t go to plan.

Invest time in discovery and stakeholder alignment

Rushing into development is one of the biggest causes of website project failure. Proper due diligence up front means engaging the right stakeholders across your organisation early – marketing, sales, customer service, IT – each with different needs, workflows and technical realities that must be captured.

Shortcuts taken to “go fast” usually slow you down later. Inadequate discovery leads to scope creep, rework, cost blowouts and — ultimately — a website that doesn’t serve users effectively.

Strong discovery surfaces requirements before they become mid-build surprises, when they’re far more expensive and disruptive to solve.

Considering a refresh of your own website?

Websites carry inherent risk – but most failures are preventable with the right process. If you’re planning a website rebuild and want to avoid the pitfalls many organisations experience, Collier Creative can guide you through the process end-to-end, avoiding the risks and surprises.

From user experience strategy and technical scoping, to launch planning and ongoing optimisation, reach out if you’d like expert support on getting your next website project right.

If you’re in the early stages of planning and want to discuss how to de-risk your project, get in touch.