To be fair to Mark, after some email exchange, he pointed to me that the section where I wrote about the popup is a bit misleading for people who are new to design. My intention was to use it as an example to show how simple instruction can help with learnability. But in hindsight, I can see why some may interpret it as me showing how to design a layout. I have since updated that section of the article.

Thanks all.

i prefer this site because of its experimentation in design…not sure how i first came across it, but that was why I came back a second time. The second time I came, I read an article–now I come back for the content. Design is so subjective that I guess we tend to be almost (red/blue dem/rep) about it. But on your own personal site, F*ck the rules; break them, make mistakes and find the art. I wish more personal sites made the user think, search…when its artist viewing artist, its all about aesthetics, curiosity, and art. My two cents–these days worth less than a penny.

To be clear, the example I used in my article about the popup is to illustrate how simple un-obtrusive instruction can help with learnability. It was not used to justify whether this site’s design is good or bad. I designed the site the way it is, for a specific goal in mind, and that is to emphasize on the content of the article. The article section follows the traditional convention format. The result of the design is merely the product of a thought process. I didn’t not start designing this site, thinking “I must be unique.”

However I still do not think your navigation works well at all. I totally get what your trying to do. But It’s been tried before, and it has failed. Just like side scrolling websites.

Sidescrolling design failed because of several factors. It’s not mouse scrolling or keyboard friendly. It also has issues with screen readers and flow/arrangement of the content. If the main links aren’t fixed, it makes it harder to navigate. I don’t see how my site shares any similarities. Every article or link is 2 clicks away.

It was not until later that I noticed your popup instructions. At first I thought I entered a framed site without it’s parent.

The popup is positioned so if the visitor does decide to go on and read the article, they’ll eventually notice it.

If you have to explain to your visitors how to do something, or why your doing things differently then it sort of defeats the point of affordance.

This I agree. I wouldn’t do on a client’s site. It’s the leisure of experimenting on my own site.

The simple act of moving your navigation forces users to relearn what they already know about websites.

I’d argue it depends on how easy the learning process is. Sometimes affordance alone aren’t self-explanatory enough, additional instruction is needed. This happens quite a bit in application design, or relaunch of a web redesign.

Now, you probably put your mom in front of your site and said. “Mom… can you find my navigation?” Of course she will, she’s looking for it specifically.

Now that wouldn’t be a good usability test would it? I know it passed the test because she discussed my articles with me from two states away. I did not tell her what to look for.

this article has brought nothing new to the table yet, and it’s still the same old rubbish.

Your criticism stops being constructive at this point. The point of this article isn’t about my site, it’s about two concepts I think that are important. Are you disagreeing with that? Granted, these concepts are not new, they existed long before web design, but I fail to see how they’re rubbish. Also, “new” is relative. Experienced designers should know this already. But to someone new to the field, it’s good to know.

Regardless, I thank you for taking the time reading and commenting.

/cheers

If you have to explain to your visitors how to do something, or why your doing things differently then it sort of defeats the point of affordance. The simple act of moving your navigation forces users to relearn what they already know about websites. And learn a system that is unique to only your site. Your audience can probably handle this but this does not apply to the majority of sites. Most users will not care enough to relearn what they already know and understand for your site alone unless your something really special.

Now, you probably put your mom in front of your site and said. “Mom… can you find my navigation?” Of course she will, she’s looking for it specifically. Put her on yahoo or amazon and start moving the navigation bar around while she is trying to do something else and chances are she will writhe the site off and look elsewhere.

Again, I get the point of experimenting. Innovation brings new theories and better practices, however this article has brought nothing new to the table yet, and it’s still the same old rubbish.

Sorry Jin, it’s back to the drawing board. :(

@Calvin, well, I wanted my layout to pass the “mom test,” as in, if my moother can find the navigation, then all is well :)