“Our website looks old” is the most common reason clients give us for a redesign. Sometimes it is true. More often, the site looks fine — it simply does not answer the questions visitors arrive with.

1. Who is the site really for?

Pick your most valuable visitor. A hotel might choose international travellers booking direct; a supplier might choose procurement officers. Design for them first.

2. What should they do next?

Every page needs one obvious next step. In Rwanda that is often a WhatsApp message rather than a long form — and that is perfectly fine.

3. Which languages do they read?

A bilingual site is not a translation job. It is a promise that both audiences are equally welcome, so budget for proper localisation.

4. How will they load it?

• Mostly on mobile data
• Often on mid-range Android phones
• Sometimes on unstable connections

Performance is design. Heavy videos and sliders look impressive in the meeting room and frustrate everyone else.

5. Who will update it?

If nobody on your team can change a price or add a photo, the site will be outdated within months. Plan the CMS and the training from day one.

“Performance is design.”

Bring these answers to your first meeting with any agency — including us — and you will get a sharper proposal, a better price and a website that earns its keep.

Bugufi Studio

Notes from our strategists, designers and developers in Kigali. We write about what we learn on real client projects.

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