Need your advice

[Admin]

There are many great enhancements coming to the site but unfortunately I have a problem and need your advice.

 

The main menu bar just isn't wide enough to stack all these different sections on to it. It basically only allows for 10 items before it becomes an issue on small screens etc.

 

So I would like your advice on what you would like to have on the main menu and what could be listed under another item...or...tell me what type of menu system you would like to have if it is different to what we currently have? It is important that you are able to "very easily" move around the site, knowing where you are and how to get to another area plus at the same time ensure you easily know what is on the site for you to use.

 

The 10 main sections for the main menu will need to come from the following with the rest of these needing to be added to the 2nd line menu of one of the 10:

 

Home

 

Forums

 

Gallery

 

Videos

 

Media

 

Events

 

Aircraft

 

Pilot Tools

 

Tutorials

 

Members

 

Classifieds

 

Downloads

 

Articles

 

Blogs

 

Help

 

Pilot Shop (the pilot shop is eventually going to close but will be replaced with a section that is even better for site members on Pilot and Aircraft Supplies)

 

What would you prefer and how do we make that you are aware of all the great resources that will be available to you on here without them being out of sight, out of mind?

 

Oh, also say if there is any other type of section/area you would like to see here on Recreational Flying

 

 

[HeadInTheClouds]

Is it possible to stick the leftover items in a drop down called 'other'

 

or 'more'

 

 

[Admin]

Is it possible to stick the leftover items in a drop down called 'other'or 'more'

Good idea but could that be out of site, out of mind...a new menu system that is coming will have a system where if you hover your mouse over an item a list will be displayed. You can see one that I have been playing around with at:

http://www.recreationalflying.com/

 

Videos and Gallery could go under the Media heading...

Yes, good, could also put Articles in there as well...put Tutorials under Pilot Tools and Events under Forums (currently the Forums tab sub menu can only allow for one more entry)

 

 

[ave8rr]

Videos and Gallery could go under the Media heading...

Agree Ian.

Cheers

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

No added value - Ian

 

 

[Ronin]

You definitely need a Contact, I am always hopping onto Videos, always have a look at Pilot Tools, go through Forums and have a look these are are a base at least i agree with David never use the Home tab at all...

 

 

[Admin]

Guys, thanks for your comments but I am not asking what you actually use or don't use...naturally you don't use the home page as you haven't been able to use the new one yet:

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/create-your-own-home-page.28535/

 

so no one can say what they use now is indicative of what they may use in the future...likewise with Aircraft, there isn't one yet, nor is there blogs or articles etc etc etc.

 

What I need to know is what you feel you would like the 10 main menu items to be and of the rest, where should they go for the "average" user of the site.

 

I am asking your opinions so you can have a say in the matter rather then I just go and do what I think is right and not consult you guys!

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

You must have "Hits" recorded on the various menu items to guide you to the most used.

 

That would be my priority for the top 10

 

Phil.

 

 

[Admin]

Yes Phil, that is the problem...it is like the chicken or the egg as with users not knowing what is in stall for them with what is coming it is hard for anyone to say what they will use. If I use the current hits then there are those areas that the site doesn't already have. I thought it best to ask what areas, if done right, would interest users the most plus are there any areas of interest that the site doesn't already cover and is not listed in the list.

 

If I was to just do it without consulting then perhaps I might get it wrong and cause turmoil for users switching back and forth, this is also why I am asking for input.

 

My own personal thoughts were, but may be wrong:

 

Home - the general global things like Contact Us, About Us etc and will be able to be individually customised for each user

 

Aircraft - something that is going to be really special so I don't want to disclose all about that just yet

 

Forums - as they are now with forum functions, Chat Room...the interactivity of site users

 

Events - as they are now but with room for other things like Places To Visit ($100 hamburgers) etc

 

Media - articles, news reader, podcasts, photo gallery, videos etc...this is a big section but don't want it missed by users (is Media the best name)

 

Blogs - a new blog system using Wordpress that allows users to create powerful aviation blogs

 

Classifieds - will be a powerful section with the new classifieds software

 

Pilot Supplies - a completely new section that I can't disclose its content at the moment

 

Pilot Tools - a range of tools like available now plus things like calculators and more

 

That's 9 but I still have left:

 

Tutorials - could be the 10th or go under the Pilot Tools tab but this is a great resource from John Brandon

 

Members - could be the 10th or go under the Home tab

 

Downloads - could go under the Pilot Tools tab

 

Help - could go under the Home Page tab

 

Even with this there are issues for example the Articles system I hope to have populated with a lot of How To articles that will help everyone (how to do this to your aircraft, how to do that when flying but also stories on new aircraft being developed/released etc...don't want to sink this powerful feature into some forgotten about area or under a wrongly named tab)...the site will become a HUGE resource with everything you will ever need...putting things in the right place, accessible where you think they should be and being able to go from one area to another easily, is what I am trying to achieve for everyone.

 

This is just my opinion and I am only just one user of the site which is why I am asking for your thoughts on what would be the best for the majority of users and potential users that will come to the site and see what is available here

 

 

[Suitman]

My own personal thoughts were, but may be wrong:Home - the general global things like Contact Us, About Us etc and will be able to be individually customised for each user

Aircraft - something that is going to be really special so I don't want to disclose all about that just yet

 

Forums - as they are now with forum functions, Chat Room...the interactivity of site users

 

Events - as they are now but with room for other things like Places To Visit ($100 hamburgers) etc

 

Media - articles, news reader, podcasts, photo gallery, videos etc...this is a big section but don't want it missed by users (is Media the best name)

 

Blogs - a new blog system using Wordpress that allows users to create powerful aviation blogs

 

Classifieds - will be a powerful section with the new classifieds software

 

Pilot Supplies - a completely new section that I can't disclose its content at the moment

 

Pilot Tools - a range of tools like available now plus things like calculators and more

Ian,

 

I agree with your list above and would submit the following for consideration ...

 

Tutorials - go under the Pilot Tools tab

 

Members - go under the Home tab

 

Downloads - go under the Pilot Tools tab

 

Help is the 10th item - All main menus should have access to the Help.

 

Peter

 

 

[Admin]

Great advice, thanks Peter

 

 

[old man emu]

Ian,

 

I think that it would be wise to create a lot of sub-menus. This site seems to be getting slower and slower to load. It even takes quite some time for the login facility to become available.

 

(I'm on ADSL2)

 

ome

 

 

[Ronin]

Yes Phil, that is the problem...it is like the chicken or the egg as with users not knowing what is in stall for them with what is coming it is hard for anyone to say what they will use. If I use the current hits then there are those areas that the site doesn't already have. I thought it best to ask what areas, if done right, would interest users the most plus are there any areas of interest that the site doesn't already cover and is not listed in the list.If I was to just do it without consulting then perhaps I might get it wrong and cause turmoil for users switching back and forth, this is also why I am asking for input.

 

My own personal thoughts were, but may be wrong:

 

Home - the general global things like Contact Us, About Us etc and will be able to be individually customised for each user

 

Aircraft - something that is going to be really special so I don't want to disclose all about that just yet

 

Forums - as they are now with forum functions, Chat Room...the interactivity of site users

 

Events - as they are now but with room for other things like Places To Visit ($100 hamburgers) etc

 

Media - articles, news reader, podcasts, photo gallery, videos etc...this is a big section but don't want it missed by users (is Media the best name)

 

Blogs - a new blog system using Wordpress that allows users to create powerful aviation blogs

 

Classifieds - will be a powerful section with the new classifieds software

 

Pilot Supplies - a completely new section that I can't disclose its content at the moment

 

Pilot Tools - a range of tools like available now plus things like calculators and more

 

That's 9 but I still have left:

 

Tutorials - could be the 10th or go under the Pilot Tools tab but this is a great resource from John Brandon

 

Members - could be the 10th or go under the Home tab

 

Downloads - could go under the Pilot Tools tab

 

Help - could go under the Home Page tab

 

Even with this there are issues for example the Articles system I hope to have populated with a lot of How To articles that will help everyone (how to do this to your aircraft, how to do that when flying but also stories on new aircraft being developed/released etc...don't want to sink this powerful feature into some forgotten about area or under a wrongly named tab)...the site will become a HUGE resource with everything you will ever need...putting things in the right place, accessible where you think they should be and being able to go from one area to another easily, is what I am trying to achieve for everyone.

 

This is just my opinion and I am only just one user of the site which is why I am asking for your thoughts on what would be the best for the majority of users and potential users that will come to the site and see what is available here

These are an excellent selection and I agree with Suitman with his couple of extras, only reason I mentioned ones I use is that I believed that may give you an idea of what just an ordinary member or visitor does when he gets onto the site, these are tabs I think are resonably crucial, thanks Ian...