[Sigia-l] DHTML Menus and Usability

[Listera]

"David Heller" wrote:

>> I don't know if this is what you want to hear, but here it is anyway (:-):
>> menus are evil. 
> 
> I'm sorry, this is just a gross generalization...

Yes it is.

> that really depends on the kind of complexity you are trying to manage

"Complexity" is the operative one. The first question I'd ask myself would
be: Should I be dealing with such complexity in a *web* app, with DHTML
menus? The second one: Does stashing options/actions in menus reduce
complexity? Out of sight out of mind?

> and quite honestly on the clarity of your menu taxonomy.

Yes, but you have to *find* the menu item before you can even begin to gauge
its taxonomic clarity.
 
> Having just come out of a usability lab last week with a system using
> menus, I have two comments.
> 1. Users understand menus.

I understand them too. Doesn't mean I prefer them.

> They know what they are there for and they are quite adept as using it for a
> sniffing point to find functionality that is not apparent otherwise.

You said it: "sniffing point to find functionality that is not apparent
otherwise". 
 
> That being said, my taxonomies failed a few times and I still don't have
> appropriate alternatives. But if I took all that navigation and
> interactive functionality and exposed it directly I would have a HUGE
> mess, actually my previous UI that this is a re-design did just that and
> users complained profusely about not being able to use it as it was just
> too much and it required the page to scroll.

If the most interactive of our platforms -- games -- required and relied on
menus, we wouldn't even have a game industry today. Look at UIs for games.

Obviously, I'm exaggerating a bit to make a point here, but when I have to
diagnose a bad UI, a quick rule of mine is: more/longer menus often signal a
less usable app.

Best,

Ziya