About Ian Lawson
Ian Lawson is the founder of Slickplan and CEO of parent company Awmous. With over two decades of experience as a UX Designer, Managing Partner and Creative Director, he’s made a career of solving complicated problems with elegant, intuitive user-friendly tools. Find him on LinkedIn.
70 articles
Building effective ecommerce user flows: UX tips for better conversions
If you want to make your e-commerce site more profitable, understanding and optimizing ecommerce user flows is critical, because all the traffic in the world doesn’t matter if you can’t… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 12, 2024 • 18 min read
Meet your site planning ✈️ co-pilot: Slickplan’s AI assistant is here ✨
Introducing our AI-powered sitemap assistant—you’re new co-pilot for building, refining and perfecting your sitemaps. Consider AI your colleague in designing efficient, user-friendly and SEO-optimized website structures and intuitive navigation systems—shaving… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonOctober 14, 2024 • 3 min read
11 unexpected user flow optimization strategies that work
Have you ever gotten lost on a website? Of course you have, we all have, and it’s always frustrating. Nothing worse than clumsy navigation, hard-to-find pages or just too many… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 12, 2024 • 16 min read
InVision shutting down! The one replacement design teams should focus on
In case you haven’t heard: InVision is shutting down on December 31, 2024 😱 For many web and UX/UI designers, that’ll mark the end of an era. InVision has been… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 29, 2024 • 4 min read
Slickplan acquires The UX Blog: The new home for UX news 🖥️🚀
Big news! We’re pumped to announce that Slickplan has acquired The UX Blog, a leading resource for UX design insights and trends. This move is all about providing you with… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 1, 2024 • 2 min read
The importance of sitemap protocol for search engines
Understanding the sitemap protocol is essential for any website owner looking to optimize for search. Why? Because it’s what tells search engines about the pages on your site and their… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated October 21, 2024 • 9 min read
What’s an SEO XML sitemap and why you need one
Understanding XML sitemaps and how they influence SEO is crucial if you’re looking to improve your search rankings (and who isn’t?!). This article demystifies the XML sitemap, explaining its importance… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated October 21, 2024 • 12 min read
Top 10 user flow tools & apps of 2024
Looking for the best user flow tools to finesse your UX projects in 2024? Our breakdown of the top apps will help you pick the one that’s right for you… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 12, 2024 • 13 min read
What’s an ASPX sitemap & why your ASP.NET site needs one
An ASPX sitemap is an essential tool for any website built using ASP.NET. This structured file provides a map of all the pages and content on your website, making it… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated October 21, 2024 • 12 min read
PRO Sitemaps review 2024: App features, pricing, pros & cons
Navigating the world of SEO can be complex, in this review we’ll break down how PRO Sitemaps can simplify the sitemapping part. Ideal for webmasters and SEO professionals, this tool… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated October 21, 2024 • 9 min read
How to create a sitemap for a website: HTML, XML, or Visual
Creating a sitemap is a critical step in optimizing your site for search and enhancing user navigation. But how do you create a sitemap without getting bogged down in complexity?… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated October 21, 2024 • 13 min read
What’s the relationship between SEO and content marketing?
Think of SEO and content marketing as a tag team or power duo that works in tandem to elevate your online presence. SEO focuses on making your website visible to… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 30, 2024 • 12 min read
Content marketing vs SEO: Which strategy reigns supreme?
The digital marketing landscape has evolved significantly, and with it, the need for businesses to adopt a unified approach towards content marketing and their SEO has become imperative. By combining… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 9, 2024 • 14 min read
Create quality content for SEO success: A how-to guide
With a sea of content being published regularly, it can feel like an insurmountable challenge to get yours to stand out. Setting yourself apart isn’t impossible and the secret to… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated January 3, 2024 • 12 min read
User roles reimagined: Discover what’s new in Slickplan 🎉💪
Hey there, web design enthusiasts! Have you ever been in a project with unclear boundaries, where every team member had unrestricted access? If so, you’ll understand when I say it… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonOctober 9, 2023 • 1 min read
Workflow process mapping: how to create a process map with Slickplan
One of the many powerful tasks it can handle is process maps. And we’re going to go over just how to create a process map. The Slickplan Diagram Maker is… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated February 13, 2024 • 13 min read
New drag & drop page cloning 🤩
About a year ago, we released a major upgrade to great fanfare. That included functionality overhauls to our most popular tool, the Sitemap Builder. Since then we’ve been constantly adding… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonApril 20, 2023 • 1 min read
How to make a decision tree: easily create decision tree charts with Slickplan
Building a decision tree can be the foundation for any situation where the options seem endless. Fortunately, learning how to make a decision tree is a simple and straightforward process… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 6, 2023 • 8 min read
How to make an organizational chart: easily create org charts with Slickplan
If your boss just asked you to create an org chart, you wouldn’t be the first person to Google "how to make an organizational chart". That might even be how… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated May 24, 2023 • 9 min read
How to Design a Website: a Comprehensive, Start to Finish Guide
The internet is part of who we are. In fact, in 2016, the UN General Assembly declared internet access a human right. That means a well-designed website is crucial for… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated October 17, 2024 • 21 min read
Site Mapping How To: What Website Page Mapping Is & Why You Need It
Creating a website is more than giving life to pretty designs. You also need a plan. Site mapping in advance is how you create elaborate websites that are easy to… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 9, 2024 • 30 min read
Rarchy review 2024: app features, pricing, pros & cons
Website projects are about one thing; how to best organize information. Rarchy is a tool that aims to help do just that by helping you build and edit sitemaps plus… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated February 19, 2024 • 15 min read
FlowMapp review 2024: app features, pricing, pros & cons
Variety is the spice of life they say but sometimes the number of apps and tools we have can feel a bit overwhelming. Which is worth the money? Which will… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated May 17, 2023 • 16 min read
PowerMapper review 2024: app features, pricing, pros & cons
An optimized sitemap makes for an intuitive website which is why creating sitemaps is such an essential part of web development. From navigation to SEO, it all starts with getting… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated May 17, 2023 • 15 min read
WriteMaps review 2024: app features, pricing, pros & cons
Looking for a way to improve your site navigation and build a more effective website for your visitors? Sitemaps are a crucial part of that process and WriteMaps is often… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated May 17, 2023 • 14 min read
Octopus.do review 2024: app features, pricing, pros & cons
Octopus.do promises a lot in addition to sitemaps — from being a website planner to lo-fi wireframing – but does it deliver? The takeaway from our Octopus.do review is yes… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated May 17, 2023 • 16 min read
How to make a Venn diagram: easily create Venn diagrams with Slickplan
Drawing up Venn diagrams is a great way to better understand how various ideas, objects, etc relate to each other. They create quick clarity and are exceptionally easy to interpret.… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated April 25, 2024 • 9 min read
How to create a concept map: easily make conceptual maps with Slickplan
Concept maps are wonderfully powerful tools for visualizing concepts, organizing & generating ideas and clarifying connections. In this article, we’ll take you through how to create a concept map, giving… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 13, 2023 • 9 min read
DYNO Mapper review 2024: app features, pricing, pros & cons
With ‘mapper’ in the name, one would hope DYNO Mapper at least covers the bases in the sitemap department given how crucial those are for website planning. In our DYNO… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated March 3, 2023 • 13 min read
How to create a flowchart: Easily make a flowchart with Slickplan
Is there more to building a flowchart than just drawing out the steps and connecting them? Is it possible to make diagrams more meaningful and useful for our tasks and… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 13, 2023 • 17 min read
GlooMaps review 2024: app features, pricing, pros & cons
A visual sitemap should be an integral part of any website planning process. It gives you an overview of your site, highlighting how pages are related, as well as a… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated March 3, 2023 • 7 min read
Introducing Design Mockups 3.0: What you need to know now 👇
There’s a pretty good chance you’ve noticed some of the very exciting changes we’ve made to Slickplan lately. Maybe you’ve even used a few of our new (and free) SEO… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonSeptember 28, 2022 • 2 min read
Sitemap vs wireframe comparison: what’s the difference?
Just like a book has a table of contents that defines where to find information, a website has its sitemap. Deciding what goes into each chapter and how requires planning… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonSeptember 15, 2022 • 10 min read
Slickplan launches free SEO toolkit 🚀
There’s more to SEO than just getting some keywords on the page. You know that. We know that – and now we can help you do something about it. To… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 5, 2022 • 4 min read
Website content management strategy: How-to + free template
Content requires management. Think about it, not only do you have various types of content in your arsenal, from social to website content and beyond, you also have content creators… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 9, 2024 • 12 min read
Best GatherContent alternatives (top 7 similar competitors)
Collecting, storing and preparing content – whether it’s for an existing or new website – is very much one of the most important things you’ll do in the planning phase… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 27, 2024 • 14 min read
Plan better with new sitemap, content & diagram templates
Website planning simplified. It’s kind of our thing and we’re happy to announce a new batch of templates that make creating a killer website even easier. What’s new? Templates! They’re… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 18, 2021 • 2 min read
What is UX Design & What Does a User Experience Designer do?
Going to a website or downloading an app where the navigation makes sense, the layout is intuitive and your overall interaction is an enjoyable one is the rule now. We… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated September 5, 2024 • 10 min read
It’s alive! Slickplan 2.0 is here 🚀
Today we are thrilled to announce the release of Slickplan 2.0! It’s been 10 years since we first created Slickplan and so much has changed since then. What started as… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated May 2, 2024 • 3 min read
What to know about Slickplan 2.0 🧭
Slickplan 2.0 is coming very soon. The improvements are going to be substantial and we want to make sure you’re experiencing the smoothest transition possible to the new platform. Resources… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 30, 2022 • 2 min read
Slickplan 2.0 NEW feature roundup ✨
Slickplan 2.0 is just around the corner! Our new and improved Sitemap Builder, coupled with a brand new, completely redesigned Diagram Maker and Content Planner, is ready to provide you… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 4, 2022 • 5 min read
Slickplan 2.0 is almost here! ⏰
Next month we’ll be rolling out a brand new Slickplan. This update includes all of the tools and functionality you’ve come to rely on, coupled with new easy to use… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 4, 2022 • 4 min read
8 Emerging User Interface Designs to Watch for in 2020
Every year, new trends develop in user interface design that literally changes the face of the Internet for years to come. Some of these trends are just starting to emerge in 2017, while others grow more popular each year. With a shift towards creating user experiences, rather than just selling, 2016 introduced some great new ideas into UI design. Perhaps the biggest change happened after apps such as Pokémon Go blurred the line between reality and screens. With this now a possibility, how we interact with those screens is even more critical than it once was. Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated December 3, 2021 • 5 min readLaunching a New Website Planning Suite — Slickplan.com Is Taking Web Architecture To A Whole New Level
Slickplan, a seamless sitemap builder since 2009, launches three new website planning tools. This launch takes Slickplan into new territory in terms of everything professionals need to plan a website. From sitemap to finished product, Slickplan offers a powerful new solution for a critical step in producing successful websites — pre-CMS planning. Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 1 min read
Website Planning Just Got Better – Announcing Slickplan’s Pre-CMS Suite Launch
Hey everyone, wait until you see what we’ve been up to. Slickplan just launched three critical website planning tools to coincide with our popular sitemap web app. If you already thought our site mapping platform was amazing, you will find these new tools even more important in the planning of successful, well thought out websites. Let us introduce you to new... Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 3 min read
Add Images with Design Mockups
Do you ever wish you could show clients or your team ideas for the pages inside your sitemap? If so, there’s an exciting new update to Slickplan. Whether it’s a… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated October 10, 2023 • 1 min readDetermining Blog and Content Categories
If you are taking time to create blogs, articles, posts, and various website content that will drive traffic to your website, understanding content as it relates to your audience might… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated September 9, 2021 • 2 min read
Using Multiple Home Pages
Multiple home pages could be the solution to your multi-site enterprise storefronts or the downfall of your small business. While there are certainly a number of substantial reasons for designing… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 26, 2021 • 3 min readOrganizing Web Pages
As “unparalleled user experiences” moves to the top of the list in perfect website design, the structure and organization of your web pages is the most important aspect of your… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 28, 2021 • 3 min read
Perfecting User Flow in Sitemap Planning
Effective website and app design begins with expert architecture planning and a well-thought out sitemap that is crafted to engage audiences and enhance user experiences. Perfecting user flow is the… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated January 10, 2024 • 3 min read
New Features: Real-Time Chat, Lock/Unlock & Approval, Batch Editing, and more…
The new features are pouring in, making Slickplan better than ever. Whether to perform a real-time chat or manage sitemap approvals, this tool just keeps on giving. Let’s take a… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 3 min read
New Features: Export goodies and more
We’re movin’ right along here at slickplan. This month has been filled with small fixes and new features. The latest updates are: Visual Editor for Cells Notes: Cell notes just… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 1 min read
New Features: Batch editing and Groups
We are on a roll! Since our last update we have been tirelessly working on getting the much requested “multiple selection” feature for our content planning and site mapping tools.… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 2 min read
New Feature Roundup
Okay, we admit It’s been a while since our last post. We’ve been quietly working on some big updates for our site mapping software that you and our other users… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 2 min read
The science of site mapping: Using Slickplan’s site crawler
One of Slickplan’s new features that we’re most excited about is the site crawler. Armed with nothing but a Google XML file or a webpage URL, the crawler reads the… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 4, 2021 • 2 min read
4 ways Slickplan makes teamwork a breeze
It’s hard to appreciate the beauty of a great collaboration tool unless you’ve done a major project without one. If you’ve ever dealt with a file with a name like… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 3, 2021 • 2 min read
Welcome To the New Slickplan
You may have noticed that things have been pretty quiet from the Slickplan team. No, we haven’t just been catching up on Breaking Bad—we’ve been hard at work. While you’ve… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 3, 2021 • 2 min read
Up Your Conversion Rates with a Better Sitemap
We’ve all seen it before. The website that just doesn’t seem to know what it’s about. The important items seem difficult to find and the less important things are splattered… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 28, 2021 • 2 min read
New Features: Page Types and Sections
Slickplan is excited to bring you a new feature set for sitemap design. We have listened carefully to you, our valued customers, and implemented the items you want and need… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 1 min read
SlickPlan – Custom Charts and Maps
Web designers and project managers have a need for tools that improve efficiency. Tools that increase efficiency allow web design firms the opportunities to grow their businesses by making it… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 3, 2021 • 3 min read
Slickplan To Save time And Money
Most folks do not realize how hard Webmasters have to work these days to build a website. It is not uncommon for them to stay up most of the night… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 28, 2021 • 3 min readNew Feature: Invoice History
After we released of the new Slickplan it became pretty apparent that you wanted to be able to have one nice tidy spot to view all of your transactions and… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 1 min readNew Feature: Multiple Admins
Slick Plan Just Got A Little Sicker With this new version of Slickplan it was extremely important to include collaborative options with our sitemap tools. Since the process of creating… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 2 min read
Slickplan + New Basecamp
Basecamp is an integral tool to many web design agencies, including our own. We’ve known for some time that using Slickplan in conjunction with Basecamp makes the design process simpler… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 1 min read
And the Winner is… US!
Atomic Interactive, the digital marketing agency headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, created the design, development and marketing strategy for Slickplan.com. Slickplan was created to fill a hole in the web design… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated November 19, 2021 • 2 min read
Slickplan Superlatives
We have an announcement for our users who’ve given us feedback in the last two years: we listened. And we’ve been working hard to implement your ideas into our sitemap… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 28, 2021 • 1 min read
We Have Liftoff
People have a way of letting you know if you’ve got something good going. With Slickplan’s registered user population booming and rave reviews pouring in, we knew it was time… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 29, 2018 • 1 min readSlickplan & Perfect PDFs
Export PDFs…Of ANY Size One of the suggestions (OK, complaints) we heard time and time again about Slickplan was to improve the PDF export function. It was a valid gripe,… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 28, 2021 • 1 min readSlickplan’s Untapped Potential
While we loved the original Slickplan, we suspected early on that Slickplan was brimming with untapped potential. The comments and suggestions we received from you confirmed this suspicion. Our ideas… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 28, 2021 • 2 min readSlickplan Pro… You Asked For It
We decided to create Slickplan because every website we made needed a sitemap and every piece of software we used to create sitemaps was, well, lousy. Since launching Slickplan almost… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated July 28, 2021 • 1 min read