Author
Harry Roadley
Date
27 Nov 2025
Harry Roadley is a Melbourne-based UX and UI designer and founder of Digital Roads, a digital agency helping businesses grow through website design, digital marketing and strategy. Harry holds many qualifications including a Bachelor of Design with a major in UX interaction design. He is passionate about creating user-friendly digital experiences and delivering measurable results for local businesses.
When news broke that the Bureau of Meteorology’s website rebuild came in at roughly 96 million dollars, people were stunned. Not just because of the price, but because users were frustrated with confusing navigation, missing features and a radar system that felt harder to use than the old one.
You do not need political opinions to see the lesson here. If a national agency with a huge budget and years of planning can still deliver a website that frustrates its users, what chance does a small business have without a clear plan?
Surprisingly, quite a good one. If you understand what went wrong at large scale, you can avoid those same pitfalls on a normal small business budget.
This article breaks down the practical lessons every small business owner should take from the BoM rebuild.
What Actually Happened With the BoM Website
The project was originally understood to be a four million dollar front end refresh. It later became clear that the real figure was about 96 million once the full backend rebuild, security upgrades, infrastructure improvements and testing were included.
When the new site went live, users complained that essential tools like the radar were harder to find. Farmers said they struggled to access information they rely on daily. Everyday users said the layout felt unintuitive. Politicians and the public demanded a review.
In short, the cost was huge, the purpose was ambitious and the experience still fell short of expectations.
So what can a small business learn from a government scale misstep?
Three Mistakes You Cannot Afford to Repeat
1. A vague or unclear scope always causes problems
One of the biggest issues around the BoM project was how the actual work differed from the initial public understanding. A front end facelift is one thing. A full rebuild of backend systems, infrastructure, data flows and security is another.
Small businesses often fall into the same trap at a smaller scale. They expect a redesign, but what they actually need is content restructuring, SEO cleanup, performance fixes and new messaging. Misalignment leads to budget blowouts and frustration.
A clear scope upfront is essential. At Digital Roads we outline deliverables, goals and boundaries before a single hour of work begins.
2. Forgetting the user is the fastest way to fail
The strongest criticism of the BoM website was not the cost. It was the usability. People could not find what they needed. The interface changed in ways that did not support real world tasks.
Small businesses make the same mistake when they focus too much on visuals and not enough on the actions users need to take. A website that looks good but confuses visitors will always lose business.
User clarity beats clever design every time.
3. Real world testing cannot be skipped
The BoM site required immediate updates and adjustments after launch because of public backlash. This is a clue that the testing stage did not reflect how everyday people actually use the site.
A small business does not need a full research project, but it does need simple, honest testing on real devices with real users. Ask someone unfamiliar with your business to find the contact page. Or the booking form. Or a service. If they hesitate, something needs refinement.
Testing is not a luxury. It is a safeguard.
What a Healthy Website Project Looks Like for a Small Business
A normal business cannot spend millions and wait years. You need a process that is lean, structured and focused on results.
Here is what a good project looks like.
A clear goal
Know what the website must achieve. More bookings, quote requests or sales. Everything starts here.
A realistic scope
Agree on the pages, features and content from day one. Avoid surprises later.
A design that supports user behaviour
Your site should be fast, simple and focused on guiding visitors to take action.
Performance and SEO foundations
Speed, mobile experience, structured data, clean linking, strong messaging and clear hierarchy.
Testing on real devices
Check for layout issues, broken flows, confusing sections and unnecessary friction.
Ongoing support
Even the best website needs monitoring, updates and optimisation.
This is how Digital Roads works with every client, no noise, no bloat and no surprises.
How Much Should a Website Really Cost in 2025
If a government build can reach 96 million, what is reasonable for a small business?
Most service based businesses in Australia will fall into a much simpler bracket. Prices depend on design complexity, number of pages, integrations and the amount of content needed, but a normal range is:
• Simple service website: low to mid thousands
• Mid sized business website with strategy and copy: mid to high thousands
• Advanced builds with marketing, booking or custom systems: higher, depending on scope
The key is clarity. You should always know what you are paying for and what results you can expect.
Final Thoughts
The BoM project is not about blaming anyone. It is a reminder that even with big budgets, things can go wrong when clarity and usability are missing. The good news is that small businesses can avoid these issues with straightforward planning and a clear focus on the customer.
If you are planning a new website or redesign, I am happy to walk you through what a realistic scope and budget look like so you stay in control from day one.
Would you like me to convert this into a formatted blog article ready to paste into Digital Roads with internal links and meta descriptions?