Comments on: OfficeMax Reinvents Navigation http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/ #1 Subscribed Ecommerce Blog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:57:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Welding Machinehttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12635 Welding Machine Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:38:16 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12635 NEW new site that is actually user-friendly. Whoever thought of that alpha navigation must have been fired… NEW new site that is actually user-friendly. Whoever thought of that alpha navigation must have been fired…

]]> By: Aditahttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12633 Adita Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:17:39 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12633 Excellent work, artists, currators, organizers. I am from Western and also now am reading in English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Facts consumers should know before considering credit counseling or debt consolidation." Thanks for the help ;), Adita. Excellent work, artists, currators, organizers.
I am from Western and also now am reading in English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: “Facts consumers should know before considering credit counseling or debt consolidation.”

Thanks for the help ;) , Adita.

]]> By: Linda Bustoshttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12631 Linda Bustos Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:23:20 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12631 Aww, I'm a bit disappointed they got rid of the Alpha navigation. I liked it. But it probably was as you say a clunker and that's why it's gone. *Sigh.* Aww, I’m a bit disappointed they got rid of the Alpha navigation. I liked it. But it probably was as you say a clunker and that’s why it’s gone. *Sigh.*

]]> By: chrishttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12629 chris Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:57:17 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12629 check it out there is now a NEW new site that is actually user-friendly. Whoever thought of that alpha navigation must have been fired...what a clunker. check it out there is now a NEW new site that is actually user-friendly. Whoever thought of that alpha navigation must have been fired…what a clunker.

]]> By: Puzzle_Guyhttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12627 Puzzle_Guy Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:31:31 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12627 I liked the navigation bar as well, but also have to agree that if you shop for your first time and do not have your mind set up for purchase yet, search function is the way to go. I liked the navigation bar as well, but also have to agree that if you shop for your first time and do not have your mind set up for purchase yet, search function is the way to go.

]]> By: bmw gt1http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12625 bmw gt1 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:18:50 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12625 It’s really easy to use if you know already what you want to buy. For others, a good search functions has to be installed. It’s really easy to use if you know already what you want to buy. For others, a good search functions has to be installed.

]]> By: jokenhttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12623 joken Sat, 07 Jun 2008 09:56:22 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12623 But because users of that interface engage with it regularly, they become skilled in interacting with it. But because users of that interface engage with it regularly, they become skilled in interacting with it.

]]> By: Jan-Willem Bobbinkhttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12621 Jan-Willem Bobbink Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:18:18 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12621 I really like the old skool navigation by the alphabet. It's really easy to use if you know already what you want to buy. For others, a good search functions has to be installed. I really like the old skool navigation by the alphabet. It’s really easy to use if you know already what you want to buy. For others, a good search functions has to be installed.

]]> By: Jason Billingsleyhttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12619 Jason Billingsley Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:35:40 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12619 What many people forget when it comes to usability is experience of the user interacting with the interface. Take a customer service interface for example. If designed for ease of learning, it would fail miserably at efficiency. But because users of that interface engage with it regularly, they become skilled in interacting with it. Now think about who typically orders office supplies. How often do they order office supplies? I am assuming a large portion of the audience are repeat purchasers - and not just one or two orders. They likely make orders bi-weekly or monthly. Another assumption is the bread and butter for office supply companies are these type of shoppers. So they tweak navigation to better assist the rapid discovery process for KNOWN items. If someone from an office supplies company can chime in - we'd love it... What many people forget when it comes to usability is experience of the user interacting with the interface.

Take a customer service interface for example. If designed for ease of learning, it would fail miserably at efficiency. But because users of that interface engage with it regularly, they become skilled in interacting with it.

Now think about who typically orders office supplies. How often do they order office supplies? I am assuming a large portion of the audience are repeat purchasers – and not just one or two orders. They likely make orders bi-weekly or monthly. Another assumption is the bread and butter for office supply companies are these type of shoppers. So they tweak navigation to better assist the rapid discovery process for KNOWN items.

If someone from an office supplies company can chime in – we’d love it…

]]> By: Nathanhttp://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-12617 Nathan Tue, 29 Jan 2008 22:09:11 +0000 http://www.getelastic.com/office-max-redesign/#comment-12617 I like the Office Max navigation design. I disagree with Jared's point that the fly out distracts the user by concealing navigation options that appear below the menu. For one thing, they do a good job of having links in the body of the page that act as guides and hooks into deeper or related content. But secondly, the design of the top nav seems to make it clear that it's only to be used for major changes in browsing. If I'm looking for pens, I'm not going to first click P in the menu, find pens.. click on the pens link... not find what I'm looking for and then click the menu again looking for an alternative to pens -- all the while obscuring some link in the body of the page. Rather, I'll keep scanning the body area once I'm in the pens section of the site. Or I'll try using the search tool. If I don't find it.. I might try the menu again to see if there's something I missed. But since I've already found the pens section, I'm likely not going to assume that there is another area that contains pens that somehow I've missed and could find in the navigation if I try harder at looking for it. I will however return to the main navigation once I've found the pen I want (or given up looking for it) to look for some other type of product. But there again, as even Jared pointed out, you don't want unrelated links detracting users from the relevant content on the page. My only issue with Home Depots nav is that they break the convention too much -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But I would have used a conventional menu bar... and places their alphabetic bar either below it as an alternative.. or above the footer. I like the Office Max navigation design. I disagree with Jared’s point that the fly out distracts the user by concealing navigation options that appear below the menu.

For one thing, they do a good job of having links in the body of the page that act as guides and hooks into deeper or related content. But secondly, the design of the top nav seems to make it clear that it’s only to be used for major changes in browsing.

If I’m looking for pens, I’m not going to first click P in the menu, find pens.. click on the pens link… not find what I’m looking for and then click the menu again looking for an alternative to pens — all the while obscuring some link in the body of the page.

Rather, I’ll keep scanning the body area once I’m in the pens section of the site. Or I’ll try using the search tool.

If I don’t find it.. I might try the menu again to see if there’s something I missed. But since I’ve already found the pens section, I’m likely not going to assume that there is another area that contains pens that somehow I’ve missed and could find in the navigation if I try harder at looking for it.

I will however return to the main navigation once I’ve found the pen I want (or given up looking for it) to look for some other type of product. But there again, as even Jared pointed out, you don’t want unrelated links detracting users from the relevant content on the page.

My only issue with Home Depots nav is that they break the convention too much — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But I would have used a conventional menu bar… and places their alphabetic bar either below it as an alternative.. or above the footer.

]]>