Original Navigation Menus

A unique navigation menu makes your website that much more interesting.

You have to be careful, though, that the theme of the navigation menu fits the theme and overall design of your website. Being too original can also distract your visitors from going through the information on your website and finding what they want.

For example, don't make the navigation menus:
- Too complicated
- Have too much information
- Take up too much space
- Have too many unnecessary links (cut down as much as possible)

Navigation menus are tools for...navigation. That should be their primary purpose.

Here are some suggestions for original and successful menus from Smashing Magazine.

I agree with the authors on the majority of their suggestions (they have written helpful blurbs on each choice, and provided links to the actual websites), but I still think some of the designs could have gone a little further with the ideas.

For example, when hovering over a link on a menu, it would be useful to have some visual cues as well. Like the hover produces a different colour, or a different script, just to indicate that the link is "active".

Another suggestion would be, why not take the design to its logical conclusion?

Here is a navigation menu which look like piano keys (not quite, but that is the impression I got when I first saw this design.) It is the second example on the list at Smashing Magazine.

The original design just lets you click on each link, without changing anything. See the original design at the website, or here below.

Original design, with no interaction

Why not add a "sliding" component when you hover over each link, and change the colour as well? This fits in with the overall design, isn't too overwhelming, helps isolate that particular link and shows it is active. And it adds an interesting interaction for the visitor.

I have redesigned (using Flash) this menu. I've changed only the "About" link just as a demonstration. You can view it here below.

Click on the "About" link to see it sliding forward and changing colour. This feature is not on the original, and I think it makes their design better (more interesting and more functional.)

Redesigned "About" link to add more interactivity

I think many of the examples the authors gave could have gone just this extra mile (or inch.)

5 options when website budgets get slashed

Here is an excellent site with pragmatic solutions on how to design or redesign a website if your "internet" funds have been reduced.

I have made a short summary of each of the five points, but reading the whole article is worthwhile.

1. Realign rather than redesign
One good point this web article makes is that a complete overhaul of your site may actually confuse your loyal visitors. Rather than make colour or layout changes, why not look at what the site is actually doing - is it providing the appropriate information, is it preventing viewers from getting that information quickly and efficiently? Then "realign" accordingly.

2. Simplify
Instead of adding content, links and other features, why not reduce or remove? Careful analysis of traffic to the website will indicate which features are popular, and which aren't.

3. Prioritize and phase development
Make changes on an incremental basis. Have the core of the website ready, but make new additions over time. This works well, for example, with content rich material such as photos and videos. Have the space available for them, but install them over time, or when they're ready.

4. Reuse and recycle
This is really a variation of the first point. Use, for example, the already constructed Google maps, rather than designing your own interactive map. Or Youtube and Flicker to add video and photo content, rather than designing custom video and photo galleries.

5. Move beyond the website
This relates to my post of about two weeks ago where I said "Blogs are the new websites". Why not open a Facebook or a Myspace account? You can post pictures and videos on both, and update your readers on various activities. There is room for short biographies and other content (even if you are selling things). You can open these sites for free, and many blogging sites are either free or of minimal cost.

Web Design Trends for 2009

Here is an interesting website describing web design trends for 2009. I have posted some of the more functional ones.

- Multi-page layouts: This is a blog style layout, where the middle section (often with the changing content) is competing with the left and right margins - which are filled with links, and other more permanent information.

- Huge illustrations and vibrant graphics : This would be good for artists' sites, or for sites which want to have a pictorial representation of the website - such as restaurants and retail stores.

- More white space: This kind of website avoids the clutter of too much colour, text or images.

- "Speaking" navigation: We have often been confused by navigation buttons which don't give us enough information (or are just icons for us to decipher). Giving enough space to be more descriptive about navigation buttons can help web browsers get where they need to quicker.

- More creative layouts: The trend has been to follow set rules and structures for web layout. Part of the reason is that people will have an easier time following what they are familiar with. But, websites have been around for while now, and web browsers are getting more comfortable with unusual or more creative layouts. In fact, this could be the driving force for them to visit your website.

Do continue to read these trends at Smashingmagazing.com.

Blogs are the new websites

Yes, your website can be a blog!

New software such as Movabletype and Typepad are progressively making their blog software look more and more like websites.

For example, they are making it easier to add (with a little help) special navigational features such as "About", "Home", "Specials" and any other menus that you wish.

Of course, the main part of your website will then be blogging. But, for updating your clients and visitors about your latest activity, even on a daily basis, this could be the route to take.

It also adds a slightly less formal aspect to your website, where you appear to be conversing or chatting with your "visitors".

You can even activate the comments section, and let people drop in their views, questions and suggestions.

This actually means that you don't have to depend on your designer 24/7 to update some aspects of your website - specifically your latest activities. You can manage parts of your content yourself.

An Attractive Website Is To Your Advantage

There are a million and one websites to click through. Many focus their attraction quotient on their product. Some on their marketing ability. Others on bells and whistles. And still others on their interactivity.

There is no question that all these are important points to consider in the overall design. But, I have seen very few websites which genuinely consider how good they look as one of their selling points.

Part of the reason is that many websites are designed by "techies". People who love to fiddle with codes, scripts, and other structural aspects of websites. Even amongst a team, the person who's considered the "designer" often has no formal background in color, composition, graphics or typography.

Quite frankly, most people can build their own basic website. Some of the technical components are not so complicated anymore. You can choose from thousands of software to do the rudimentaries. Of course the trained web designer will be able to narrow in on the appropriate, cost-effective and most reliable software in very short notice, saving you both time and money.

But, a trained graphic designer, with an eye out for aesthetics, is hard to find. As are those especially attractive websites. One of your criteria for your website should be how good it looks. And spend some time finding the designer who can do that for you.

Merry Christmas

And A Happy New Year!

Online Music

Sam the Record Man recently shut its doors forever, leaving the building and the neon sign to Ryerson University. I used to buy my classical music CDs from there, for bargain prices of around $7. There were also knowledgeable salesmen who could advise me on the smallest details from the quality of the recording studio to the proficiency of the musician.

At another music store, this time a second-hand one, the owner was describing how he was losing customers due to online music stores for CDs and DVDs (Amazon.com is a well-stocked online store), as well as downloadable music (iTunes is a popular download program available for free).

Patrons can also find all kinds of help online, including a community of like-minded aficionados, where discussion boards, blogs, and other sources of information have replaced the music store salesman.

These digitized music sources are a great advantage for music on websites. Downloadable music from iTunes (or other web sources) are relatively easy to acquire since you can usually buy a single piece of music at at time, rather than whole CDs.

Once at iTunes, you can convert these songs into the appropriate files, which you can then incorporate into your website for whatever purpose you desire: either as samples of music, or as a background music for your website.

Or, if you have even the rudimentary software, you can convert your songs from your CDs into digital files, to use for your website.

Of course, you have to provide credit for the music, to avoid copyright issues.

Here is a good comprehensive web article which describes all the various facets of online music.