UI Design: Which menu style is preferable?

#1

Post by berlininsummer » Wed, Jan 27, 2010, 10:41 AM UTC

We are working on a web-application for business use. We are trying to make it very very simple as part of the the target group probably thinks that email is kind of complicated stuff.

We now have an internal discussion on how to design the menu. Some would like to have a traditional dropdown menu while others prefer the two-row approach (see http://tixclub.de/ or http://www.madvertise.de/ for examples)

Is there any evidence on which style users prefer? What is your personal experience?

Many thanks!

Re: UI Design: Which menu style is preferable?

#2

Post by haydenchambers » Wed, Jan 27, 2010, 11:38 AM UTC

perhaps of interest: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20001112.html http://www.useit.com/alertbox/mega-dropdown-menus.html

Re: UI Design: Which menu style is preferable?

#3

Post by Kliment » Wed, Jan 27, 2010, 12:32 PM UTC

Both have too many invisible options, in my opinion. See Google's search page top bar for what I think is a good setup - most relevant options first, and a menu for more.

Also, is your nick an Alphaville reference?

Re: UI Design: Which menu style is preferable?

#4

Post by berlininsummer » Wed, Jan 27, 2010, 12:59 PM UTC

Kliment wrote: post #3

Both have too many invisible options, in my opinion. See Google's search page top bar for what I think is a good setup - most relevant options first, and a menu for more. Also, is your nick an Alphaville reference?

Thanks. That is a good reference, but we do not have as many main categories as Google. I think it might confuse users to have all options on the same level.

The nick is just because its so incredibly cold here right now: Berlin -22 degrees, don't know in Fahrenheit but its "your face hurts when stepping outside" cold.

Re: UI Design: Which menu style is preferable?

#5

Post by Kliment » Wed, Jan 27, 2010, 3:41 PM UTC

berlininsummer wrote: post #4

Kliment wrote: post #3

Both have too many invisible options, in my opinion. See Google's search page top bar for what I think is a good setup - most relevant options first, and a menu for more. Also, is your nick an Alphaville reference?

Thanks. That is a good reference, but we do not have as many main categories as Google. I think it might confuse users to have all options on the same level. The nick is just because its so incredibly cold here right now: Berlin -22 degrees, don't know in Fahrenheit but its "your face hurts when stepping outside" cold.

Well then perhaps you should reorganize it to have less options. Are you a category service like play.com or Amazon? If not, do your users really NEED to see all those options?

(I'm in Köln, it's much warmer here. But I was in Finland over the weekend, and it was around -20. It's not that bad when it's dry enough.)