Last month, Adam Smith, our brilliant and talented creative director at Advent Creative, did a really neat thing with a new website design for one of our clients. The client, eyeQ by Infinite Mind, makes speed reading software and brain enhancement technology for individuals, schools and businesses. To most effectively reach their target audience, they needed a straightforward e-commerce setup without a lot of fancy, but ultimately ineffective, flair.
Instead of just putting out a cookie cutter site, Adam came up with a subtle and surprisingly pleasing innovation for the menu design. Are you ready? It curves.
Yeah, I know, that was a little anticlimactic. But look at the image on this post, or click on it to go to the site, and you’ll see what I’m talking about. I’ve been trying to nail down why I like it so much and I’ve come up with a couple of reasons:
1. Balance and function
It balances out the strong straight lines of a normal website, which can at times be like an oppressive grid, with an elegant curved line right at the top. It does this without losing any function or order. The sections of the page are immediately identifiable to a first-time user.
2. Something new
I’ve never seen a menu like this before. I’m sure somebody else must have done something like it, but I’ve never seen it. Most menus are in grids with either a vertical or a horizontal orientation. When web designers do attempt to mix it up, they usually go to the extreme and have something completely wild. That can be good, but it can also be confusing to users. For an e-commerce site, it’s a terrible idea.
3. Ergonomic
More than anything, I like the way the menu makes me feel. It looks less like a website and more like a console or control panel. The curve provides a depth to the page that makes it more tactile. Reinforcing the look is the way it actually feels to navigate. If you drag your cursor in a straight line across the whole screen, you will have to adjust at least once or move your entire body. That’s just the way human wrists work. With Adam’s menu, you can plant your arm on the desk and move the cursor over the menu with an ergonomic flick of the wrist. It’s a small thing, but it’s surprisingly enjoyable. Go ahead, try it.
OK, I think I’ve embarrassed Adam enough at this point. If you like it, get on Twitter and tell him. He’s @atsmith. I’ll let you know if he blushes.
