[RFC] Combine Related functionality (UI Cleanup)

[tbackoff]

Still not sure about that lightning bolt - it just doesn't scream "more options" to me.

Take, for example, phpBB.com's homepage. If you look at the announcements, there's an ellipsis to indicate there is more of something (in this case, more text). To me, this would make sense for the search dropdown as we would be displaying "more" search links.

[Mess]

If you look at the announcements, there's an ellipsis to indicate there is more of something (in this case, more text). To me, this would make sense for the search dropdown as we would be displaying "more" search links.

Agreed, maybe we could just remove the middle part of the button leaving the down arrow part?

[DavidIQ]

I would go with #1 or #4 with the stipulations presented previously (Font Awesome).

[Marshalrusty]

If you asked a user, who is generally familiar with forums, to make three guesses regarding the functionality of various UI elements, they should be able to decipher the true purpose. Ideally, all three guesses would also be within the same general area, as opposed to like "either it opens up a menu or it disables the forum".

So the lightning bolt fails on that front, I think. The ellipse is better, because at least it's clear that there's "more" of something there, but it's still not clear that those things are navigation elements.

Here is my suggestion (it's rough, and I'm counting on one of you fine folks to clean it up):

prop6858.png (65.08 KiB) Viewed 673 times

I've moved some things around, rather intentionally. I think it makes more sense for the breadcrumbs to be on the bottom, leaving the various user elements on the top.

The Quick Nav (which can be renamed to something better), can also be expanded to include other things.

[DavidIQ]

I like it. The moving of the breadcrumbs down seems logical as well. This also addresses the discussion regarding what to do with "User Control Panel". I do worry about the translate-ability of "Nav" though. Can't think of a good translation for it in Spanish for instance. Might need to be the whole word...not sure. That being said I don't think an icon will work well for what is being represented there so the text seems ideal.

[hanakin]

If you asked a user, who is generally familiar with forums, to make three guesses regarding the functionality of various UI elements, they should be able to decipher the true purpose. Ideally, all three guesses would also be within the same general area, as opposed to like "either it opens up a menu or it disables the forum".

So the lightning bolt fails on that front, I think. The ellipse is better, because at least it's clear that there's "more" of something there, but it's still not clear that those things are navigation elements.

Here is my suggestion (it's rough, and I'm counting on one of you fine folks to clean it up):

prop6858.png

I've moved some things around, rather intentionally. I think it makes more sense for the breadcrumbs to be on the bottom, leaving the various user elements on the top.

The Quick Nav (which can be renamed to something better), can also be expanded to include other things.

not bad i have a few suggestions based on this but im out the door if i get time later i will mock something up.

[MattF]

I like Marhsalrusty's re-organization better too... Now the search bar is purely search/advanced search... And the User Name drop down keeps in line with what almost every other modern site that has user accounts does now.

Perhaps Quick Nav could be Quick Links

As for that lightning bolt, alternatives to that (if still applicable) could be font-awesome: fa-star, fa-navicon, fa-heart

[bonelifer]

I like fa-bars (aka fa-navicon).

[PayBas]

Keep in mind that we use those 3 stripes/bars icons everywhere already as responsive menus. On your smartphone you will see those stripes everywhere in the footer and header.

If possible, I would choose something different. Just to make it stand out.

[M.Gaetan89]

I like Marshalrusty suggestion too. I don't even think we need an icon in the "Quick nav" ("Quick links" is a good alternative, as VSE pointed out) dropdown.

As for the "advanced search" icon, do we need it? It basically does the same think as the "search" icon, no?

Not really related, but if the dropdown text/icon is not a link on it's own (like the wrench for the topic tool, or "Quick nav"), there should be no separator between the text/icon and the down arrow. Otherwise one might think there are two links, when there is actually only one.