Mobile OzBargain touch UI improvements and suggestions

scrimshaw on 01/03/2014 - 20:01

Since a large number of visitors on Ozbargain are now also viewing the site on mobile browsers, I've noted that there are some unnecessary elements of the site that are not often used and make the web version of the home page rather cramped and untidy.

So I set about making Ozbargain more 'compact' by copying some of the designs of other sites and came up the following.

Comparison with redesigned site http://i.imgur.com/Q8NY5aR.png

Annotated version http://i.imgur.com/ij0UnzV.jpg

Please note everythign is drawn up using MS Paint which I realize is not the best application for prototyping (?) and neither am I a web designer. These are just the opinions of an amateur :)

This is also an opportunity to voice your feedback to our esteemed web developers on how the mobile site should look like, so feel free to add comments.

Poll Options

  • 5
    Prefer New style
  • 3
    Prefer the classic style
  • 1
    Other (state opinions)
Site Discussion

Comments

  • Food on 01/03/2014 - 21:06

    Nice one Scrimy! I prefer the Annotated version!

  • ProspectiveDarkness on 01/03/2014 - 23:41

    Couple of nitpicks from me:

    • The left side of the listing looks too dense / cluttered. Not only do you have the variable screenshot / product image (can't be helped, I know), but you have the unread comment count, store URL, and bulky category label w/ matching colour block. IMO, the unread comment count would be best situated at the top right of the entire listing or with the other comment count (seeing as it isn't specifically related to the product image, I can't see a reason not to move it) and the category would be best presented in cleaner, orange text - preceding the title, not joined to the image, and sans the chunky orange background. I'll see if I can get some Paint going to describe what I mean.

    • I'm not sure if people would switch between list and grid mode often enough to justify making apart of the persistent bar. Definitely agree with moving the menu 'overflow' button to the right though. Having it top left can be pretty uncomfortable if using constantly. Though I suppose that might upset left-handers.

    • The username, comment count and time posted don't really align. I figured that was more down to Paint use than intended design, though.

    • Agree with most of your other changes. Sorry if I came across overly critical - I know this is more of a prototype, and these are some good ideas.

    Further general suggestions:

    • Move the search bar in the menu to another drop-down type button (in the form of a magnifying glass) from the current drop-down menu. IMO it looks a bit tacked on just sitting atop the other menu items as it is, and half the time I just want to navigate the site via the buttons, so separating the dropdown button and its contents with the search bar can be a bit annoying.

    • Fix up the column constraints in the Live section. Half the time the deal title is running off the page - and IMO, that's a more important chunk of information than who posted and when. I usually flick through it to see what's trending, so having the title obscured can be counter-productive.

    • Make listings collapsible.

    • I think the OzBargain logo could be a bit higher res. It seems noticeably blurry on my Nexus 5.

    Honestly, I'd prefer an app over a mobile site because it's a bit more manipulable (and, IMO, the navigation drawer on Android is nice and intuitive), but I realise that's a really long shot.

    /my $0.02

  • leeroys_dad on 05/03/2014 - 18:54

    i like new, just move the image to the right again, and make it smaller. feels less cluttered that way

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