Would You Like To See The Answerbank Redesign?

[AB Editor]

Hello!

As you know, we're working on redesigning the site so that it works on every device - i.e. it works on mobile, tablet and your laptop/desktop PC.

We're also taking the opportunity to tidy up some stuff, like reducing the number of categories, swapping the sizes of adverts to more commonly used sizes (this should mean the ads get better).

To make sure everyone feels as consulted as possible, I'd like to show you where the designs are currently settled. If you have any good ideas for the layout, design, colours, fonts etc, please provide your feedback here.

What I would really like to know is, do you understand it, just by looking at it?

I'll post different versions of the homepage first, with a small description. You should be able to click the images to make them pop open in a new browser tab.

The thread will be closed while I sort out these images as answers, and will reopen shortly afterwards.

Homepage: Desktop // Tablet // Mobile

Homepage & Menu: Desktop // Tablet // Mobile

Question Pages: Desktop // Tablet // Mobile

OTHER NEW DESKTOP PAGES:

New Desktop Search

New My Profile

New Category Page

New Article Page

[Gromit]

Hc4361

If you look at the screen grab of the proposed redesign, it is different from the current mobile site for going to the next page. On the proposed new mobile site, there needs to be more room between the tapable links, or something like the current mobile site.

[scorpiojo]

As pixie mentioned, would the categories cover latest posts?

[trt]

I quite like it, and reducing the number of categories is an excellent idea.

I would still like to see::
When you have answered somebody's post, and go back later to see if there are any comments to it, your answer/reply comes up first, instead of having to look for it?

[Gromit]

Scorpiojo

The latest categories black box is a drop down menu. It would not display all the time, only when you tap the red box to move to a new section. Tap the red box again and it collapses, showing the latest pists underneath.

[pixie374]

Yes... but I use both at the same time. If nothing much is in latest posts, then I look at categories...

[scorpiojo]

Thank you, Gromit.

Can that be moved to the left-hand side, or can we keep topics as it is?

[Gromit]

Actually, it will be the black square with the 3 white links stack which will open and collapse the categories, not the red part.

[Gromit]

Scorpiojo,
It cannot be moved to the left. It has to stay were it is.
The thinking, and I agree with it, is that it does not need to beopen and displayed all the time. That wastes screen space. A simple tap or click will make it visible only when you need it.

[scorpiojo]

I'll be quiet now.

[Gromit]

The aim is to maximise the use of the space, without cluttering it.

At the Moment, if you scroll to the bottom of the page you will see two empty columns of white with the answer in between. If there are long answers, you have to scroll down a lot.

By doing away with the left column, the answer width can be longer, so the height will be shorter, resulting in less scrolling, and the whole answer more likely to be displayed in full on the screen in the first place.

[jambutty]

Just got used to this site and now it's changing! Not keen, not too good with technology!

[dannyk13]

It looks as though it is all becoming far more complicated that at present.Why not leave well alone?

[jambutty]

I bet it won't be as easy danny.

[DTCwordfan]

any automatic updating of threads, especially on CB and News?

[dannyk13]

If my fears are realised I will probably look for another site.

[Gromit]

Fonts:

Garamond is a very bad idea. To make the font look bigger, you need a font with a high x height, and Garamond doesn't. It was designed for metal and paper, you should choose a font designed to screens.

In terms of legibility you are better with a Sans Serif font. As mention previous
Verdana is the best of the default fonts, that everyone has.

Your site font (looks a bit like Antique Olive to me) is good in that it has an high x height, but some of the charaters are suspect. You need to pick a font with an open lower case g. One that resembles a 9 rather than an 8 if you get me. Ru99er nor Ru88er. Also where their a different looking characters for Cap I, lowercase l and the number 1.

[hc4361]

For heavens' sake, give it a chance before you condemn it, danny.

If you do go elsewhere you'll have to get used to a new format and layout so you may as well stay with us.

[DTCwordfan]

Hey, Danny, you would be missed.

[dannyk13]

Hc., afraid I'm a technophobe

[Gromit]

// It looks as though it is all becoming far more complicated that at present. //

It terms of functionality and ease of use, it will be the same. The only difference is the categories box will be expandable and collapsable because it is not needed all the time.


// Why not leave well alone? //

At the moment, the owners have to build, operate and maintain two sites, a desktop and a mobile. They also should have a tablet version as well, but don't have that at present. This site was built years ago when most people used desktops. Now, most people use mobile, and the site is clunky.

The redesign is built in something called 'Responsive design'. Instead of having to build 3 sites, they can build one, which adapts the site to display differently depending on the screen size. This will save them money, and give a more consistant experience for all users.