My analysis and conclusion about the current two drafts

[Jason Bainbridge]

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On Sun, 20 Oct 2002 11:18, Datschge at gmx.de wrote:
<SNIP>
>
> Now Neil and Jaseone's modified version of Sebastians design, one side
> menu on the right, currently (as for 20.10.02) shown at
> http://usability.kde.org/newdesign/
>
> Pros:
> -> Since the only menu is on the right all menu links are next to the
> scroll bar and thus easy to reach.
>
> Issues:
<SNIP>

All of the above issues were style issues and I'm the first to admit the style 
still needed a lot of work.

> -> Even worse the menu might get completely obscured when the content
> needs more width than the brower window gives.

It's relative so it couldn't anyway...

> -> The menu is far too long. Maximizing the window in a screen
> resolution of 640x480 already gives a blank space of three pages with
> given content. And the amount of wasted space is increasing in higher
> resolutions while the text gets broader. which does not only look bad
> but also makes the text in the content more unreadable overall.

I know that list of links is a monster and I think the idea of a portal to 
hold all of them instead is a better idea, only showing a few key ones on 
each of the content pages.

<SNIP>
>
> Conclusion:
> I'm voting for Sebastian's design since it gives a better and more
> professional impression, is more logically structured and is thus much
> more useable. I honestly have to say I'm kind of embarassed that some
> people from the "usability" list - which I follow since quite some time
> and to which I intend to contribute to in the future - can mistake an
> easy-reachable-menu hack approach as a perfect site design. Sebastian's
> effort is - also usability-wise - superior in so many regards that it
> would be very sad if the final design for KDE sites will turn out worse
> due to imo doubtful compromises.

I think a lot of the criticism has arose as previously there wasn't a 
distinction made between content sites and a main portal. I am hoping we do 
decide that the portal is a good idea so then we can have a one sided menu 
within the content sites. The reason the main focus on Neil's and my design 
was on the content was quite intentional as it was content based sites we 
were developing for, plus as a bonus the menu itself was easily reachable as 
you said.

I think the portal will provide a way for users to find the content they are 
after and then the content sites can focus on content without compromising 
the navigation between sites. As to whether the one sided menu for the 
content sites is best on the left or right, the right is most likely the most 
usable position as the focus remains on the content and the menu is easily 
reachable as a user's mouse is most lkely to rest near the scrollbar but the 
issue is whether this increased usability is enough to justify breaking the 
current convention of having the menu's on the left.


- -- 
Jason Bainbridge
KDE - Conquer Your Desktop - http://kde.org
KDE Web Team - webmaster at kde.org
KDE Usability Project - http://usability.kde.org
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