The new design leave LESS content above the fold, not more. (I'm defining content here as "subjects with new messages.")
Logo: the new design is pedestrian, yet creates a lot of visual "noise" due to the implied shapes between the letters, and takes up far too much vertical space.
Color scheme: I realize that this can be very subjective, but the new scheme strikes me as "sour" and does not have any positive effect on me.
Waaay too much vertical space consumed by the sub-titles ("Subject Marks, "PeopleMarks" etc. and the white space above and below. I'm used to "classic" and I know what the page with subjects looks like, I don't need a graphic this large to tell me.
And that faux 3-dimensional button to "clear new message counts," what's with that? Aside from the color, it has no visual or stylistic connection to any other element on the site. Yuk!
Subject marks: why tell me what "forum" a thread is in? Maybe that's how SI sees the site architecture, but I don't. I usually find new threads by searching by symbol, or following links, and I pay zero attention to the forum. A lot of useless space. And "remove" is not essential on the SubjectMarks page either. I usually decide to un-mark a thread while I'm there, not when looking at subject marks. I know these are existing features, but if you're doing a re-write, I suggest removing them.
MYSI: it took me a while to notice this, and even longer to understand what it is. "My SI," "the SI that is mine," just like "My SAP," "My Computer"and all those other lame attempts to create a sense of belonging in the customer by naming something "My…" I doubt I am the only one who finds this patronizing. And the links are so small, it is very hard to click on the one I want. At my usual window width, this element is partly hidden. Why not put this on the left side, where it will always be visible?
As a rule, there are only three places I want to go on SI: Inbox, Subject Marks and People Marks. I have no use for the charts here, editorial commentary (especially by Steve "Dot Bomb" Harmon), or "personal finance." The easier you make it for me to get to those three places, the better I like it. I can't say the new look is an improvement. |
