New Navigation Menu

[Admin]

One of the most important parts of a site is the navigation menu. A good one allows a user to easily navigate around a site and always know where they are and how to to easily get to where they want to go.

 

This is currently covered by the "Breadcrumb" that is used - the light blue section just below the main menu which leaves a breadcrumb starting from Forums > next level > next level again etc and at the right end of that clicking the little 45 degrees arrow opens up a quick navigation window.

 

The main menu consists of main sections of the site and clicking on one displays a sub-menu beneath it for that section. This is a pretty standard menu system found on many sites.

 

The other part of the menu found on the right side above the Search box is a menu system for the user functions. This is a special menu system which uses what is called a "Mega Menu" system. A Mega Menu is usually a drop down box when a user hovers their mouse over it and the menu items are displayed in columns and have interactive things on it like a picture (your avatar), input boxes (your status) and other things to not only help the user but be more interactive and informative.

 

The new menu system in the upcoming site upgrade is going to use these "Mega Menus" not just for the User Items but for all menu items.

 

Here is an example of what can be done with a Mega Menu that I would very much like you to have a look at and offer your opinions/comments on having them so I can contain anything that you may like within the Mega menu System:

 

http://nettuts.s3.amazonaws.com/819_megamenu/demo/index.html

 

Thanks for your help in having an input into tailoring the site into something very special for yourself

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

The "One Column" example is the only one that fits on a phone screen (HTC Desire). The others are just annoying as you have to scroll around a menu area that is larger than the screen in both horizontal and vertical directions.

 

Don't forget that touch screens don't have a "Hover" input, so using that for devices that depend on screen gestures deprives users of functionality.

 

 

[Admin]

Thanks David...I don't have any issues at all with the current mega menu used for the user drop down on my Samsung Galaxy phone (I am expecting delivery of my new Samsung Galaxy S 2 this week ) but point taken...thanks

 

PC users would just need to hover on a menu item and yes, mobiles down have hover as they use a tap and the mega menu has no impact on mobiles...a mobile user would still tap the menu item and it would go to that section but they would miss out on any little extras that may be in the mega menu...the sub menu is still displayed for them as it is now.

 

It will be an extra feature for PC users that will enable them to go directly to a part of a section if they want but NO impact on mobile users

 

 

[Admin]

Oops, I forgot that the iPhone is only a little 3.5" screen, the HTC Desire is 3.7"...my Galaxy is 4" and the new Galaxy S2 is 4.3"...this in itself highlights a trend...I could include a:

 

If screen.resolution = 480 x 800 pixels then

 

Else

 

 

[Admin]

Here is a screen shot of the way the new navigation menu will look like:

 

 

The drop down menu for each section is shown by simply hovering your mouse over the main menu item...in the above case "Forums".

 

This will provide faster and better access to the areas within a section and allow for more things to be added down the track much easier and end up creating a very powerful and informative menu system at your fingertips...for example:

 

 

If you would like to see something added to any of the drop down menus like "Last 3 posts" or pictures or announcements or something specific from that section etc etc etc...please post here with your ideas saying which of the menus you think could have ????

 

 

[Admin]

Here is a screen shot of the way the site is going to look...you will notice all the rounded corners and the navigation links that will be in the footer of every page: