A new design does not automatically require new addresses. If a page’s subject continues, improving the material at its existing URL can be the clearest editorial choice. An address change is not a visual design feature.
Understand the old page’s role
Which question does it answer, how do people reach it and what needs preserving? These details belong in the content inventory. Removing a page merely because it does not fit the new menu skips the assessment of its value.
When the subject remains, I consider retaining the address. When pages genuinely merge, the destination should still address the original reader needs. Sending every old URL to the homepage does not help people find the material they expected.
Build a migration map
Each old address needs a decision, destination, rationale and verification status. Distinguish retained content, updates at the same address, mergers and removals, then agree the technical implementation with the development team.
Permanently moved pages need an appropriate server-side redirect plan. Google’s site-move guidance also discusses updating internal links and canonical references. Redirects alone do not complete a migration.
Check the map rather than a few examples
Every destination should exist. Check for loops, unnecessary intermediate steps and incorrect language targets. An old Turkish article leading to an English homepage technically opens a page, but does not preserve the intended journey.
Downloadable files matter too. A portfolio PDF shared elsewhere can retain value even when it is absent from navigation. A redesign does not require losing either the file or its address.
Continue monitoring after release
Broken addresses, unexpected redirects and search-tool reports need review on the live site. Crawling and indexing should not be presented as instantaneous or guaranteed.
A good migration makes the new material accessible while respecting the expectations carried by older links. The technical map is a practical record of that editorial responsibility.