How would users even access the links in the drop down if JavaScript is disabled then? They need to at least be able to click on the hover element and be sent to a list of the links that would have shown in the dropdown. I would show them the site with JavaScript disabled. If they want some data to go by I would do some simple usability tests and some surveys from the site's users.
For the new website I'm working on at our university I won't be using drop downs at all since people always want to add something to them which increases the clutter/confusion. If they want people to click on certain links put them on the homepage as calls to action and use a button or color to get their attention. Just some thoughts, not sure if I'm understanding the problem completely or if you're even using JavaScript for the dropdowns. On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 4:18 AM, jennifer wolfgang <[email protected]>wrote: > Hi all - > > I'm having a difficult time reaching my VP about the difference > between what we decide are the goals of the company via the website > versus what the people who visit our site (our users) hope to > accomplish. > > He feels that this is just a matter of language and that there is not > in fact a difference. I feel - in over 11 years of web user-interface > design - that there is a difference. To me, it's like the difference > between the hard-sell salesperson who is obviously trying only to make > the sale versus the salesperson who allows people to navigate the > offerings with guidance along the way. > > An example of something I believe our site reflects as the > 'company' goals is our global navigation: > > We have roll-over drop-down menus (horizontal). The "tab" that one > rolls over is not clickable to a main page. The links in the > drop-downs were determined by the various stakeholders as to what are > "the most important links" that *we* want people to get to. In fact, > when I raised the issue that people are frustrated that they cannot > click the main tab (getting a LOT of negative feedback on this), the > VPs response was that "we want to force users to use those menus"; > thus, he simply had the development team remove the hand cursor that > appear on rollover of the main tab. > > Anyway, that may have been a bit of a vent/rant, but it is a good > example of what I'm struggling with here. > > So, what are your thoughts on the difference between company goals > and user goals? Is there even one? > > Now, I will say that I feel that a balance should be struck. > > Also, if you have recommendations of how to approach this topic with > him, I'll add that my VP is extremely metrics/analytics-driven; to > the point that he wants us to have a 'performance driven design' > approach to the site... > > Comments? Ideas? > > Thanks! > > > ________________________________________________________________ > Reply to this thread at ixda.org > http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=44399 > > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... [email protected] > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
