The new Navigation Bar (at t'top): the "official" thread

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello. There are ruddy millions quite a few threads in Site Stuff at the mo about changes/glitches/weirdy stuff related to the release of our new Navigation Bar (the big blue bar at the top of the page that helps you find all the various bits of Mumsnet).

So, for clarity's (and sanity's) sake, we're starting this thread to keep everything in one place - and have just one thread where you tell us what's not working for you and where we update you on what we've fixed/are fixing etc etc.

Right then...

A couple of quick answers/updates for you right now:

• The PM Inbox flag/blog/"you've got a PM" icon is now back. Apols for having inadvertently made it disappear.

• The jumpiness/flickiness of the Nav Bar in general: we're working on sorting this now - and hope to have a fix released by tomorrow.

• MyMumsnet: this will reappear on the Nav Bar at some point in the next three days or so. In the meantime, you can find MyMumsnet here.

• Keep me logged in. We're looking into this - and will update you soon.

Any more Qs/probs/moans/peans of praise (hopeful), do please post them here.

@aufaniae

But actually it doesn't have to be the home page, it was from the menu so presumably accessible from every page.

OK, well there's a TIO link on every single Talk page (under the big black Mumsnet Talk header, there are two lines of blue links - it's in the second line, two in from the left, next to Active).

And we're working on putting a TIO link on the Homepage too. Will update you when that's sorted.

never go to the homepage because I have Threads I'm On as a direct link from my favourites bar

Glad the rollover is less triggerhappy now, thanks Helen.

I've still got the 'offers' tab coming up from 'Talk' though - and that one does come up when you're not wanting it to due to its location... I've hit it several times today.

@mistlethrush

I've still got the 'offers' tab coming up from 'Talk' though - and that one does come up when you're not wanting it to due to its location... I've hit it several times today.

Yes. Sorry: we haven't released the fix for that one yet. We're hoping it's going to be today. Will update you on this thread when it's done.

Sorry Helen - didn't want the success with the reduction in flick to go to Tech's head

@mistlethrush

Sorry Helen - didn't want the success with the reduction in flick to go to Tech's head

Well actually, we've just released the fix for IE9, IE8 and Chrome, so he's looking quite pleased with himself!

Let us know how it's looking now for you.

I know where the TIO link is, it's now the first thing I press - well, after talk now ... several times a day

The point is that previously I didn't have to go via the talk topics page at all.

My way into mumsnet has changed from "hover-click" to "click-click", and that extra click means an extra page load to wait for, which noticeably slows by "user journey" down, which is a tad annoying.

What this is really about is loosing the "talk" menu which used to appear when you hovered over talk IIRC. However Indith and I only use it to access TIO it seems. For people like us, I expect a TIO button on the home page would cover it nicely! :)

If everyone used the old menu in the same way, no problem. However, if there was another popular link on that menu, then the people who used it will also be experiencing the same kind of delay on their regular journey into the site- are you adding any other talk menu links to the home page I wonder?

I appreciate it only makes a difference of miliseconds, and no one new will know it's missing - actually it's only regular users with this specific well-worn path into the site who'll notice the difference. But I'm one of them and it's annoying, and most especially I want to know you understand my pain

I'll probably have forgotten all about it as soon as I've got used to clicking twice

I'm using Chrome on a Windows Vista system. There is an improvement on the sensitivity of the pull-down menus, but they're still popping up (or is it down) when I go near them inadvertently - presumably lingering just that too long.

Was I right in thinking this is just an interim measure till you switch them to a click to select functionality?

'Offers' still steadfastly hiding over 'Talk' I'm sorry to say Helen... Still on chrome.

@mistlethrush

'Offers' still steadfastly hiding over 'Talk' I'm sorry to say Helen... Still on chrome.

Gah! OK, we'll try again...

All fixed here.

I do think the drop downs are a good navigation tool. They are just a bit big!

I do not understand why there is a picture of a woman pretending to shave off a beard under life and style. It is ridiculous.

Just fyi MNHQ, I'm not sure if you've already tried to fix it....but the log in thing still stays checked, even though earlier I unchecked it.

I logged out and then just logged in again and it was still ticked

The thing I've found is that before, although the top nav bars were chunky, they were there, I could see them at a glance and I used them a fair bit, particularly the secondary nav bar.

Now, when I want to find something, I can't just glance and see it to find what I want - I have to stop and read and look and hunt before finding it eventually down in the footer at the bottom of the page.

Is there any way that you could bring back the secondary nav bar when you are in sections - and have the drop down available too?

Whispers - given that you have Workfest coming up - you have a great opportunity to do a bit of guerilla usability testing - and see people using MN. OK so it won't quite be the same as them being in their own home, but you'll have a whole load of MN users there in person whilst you can watch both the person and what they are doing online. Even if you just have a laptop set up in a corner with MN on, get people to have a quick look at it and say what they think while you record it, you'd get a load of useful info. You could also ask people if you can record them using MN on their own phone or tablet whilst looking at MN just for a few moments whilst asking them to talk aloud about what they are doing, you'd be able to get even more great feedback that would be a lot more expensive to get if you had to bring people in to test it normally. And especially at this moment in time, given that you've just introduced a relatively big change to the site navigation...

Maybe we should have a member competition to contribute photos?

Ooh yes Yoni, I would contribute one of Sparkling Cat for all categories.

I like spaghetti dog :)

It's the weird woman/child in work I don't like

OK - have discovered something else about the Offers bit - I was in my messages, and went to click on Threads I'm On from there, moved the cursor a little too far to the left of that button and BING! Offers dropped down. Had to stay on the right hand half of the Threads I'm On button to click through - you can sort of see Offers obliterating bits of the buttons at the top (Unanswered threads is the other one affected, iirc).

Anyway. Just thought you might like to know that bit.

Just had another look - it affects Customise and Active threads too. I guess it's because there isn't that secondary Mumsnet Talk heading on the messages page.

Thanks for these.

Why am I still getting that pregnant woman all the time?.

Am I doing something wrong?

I still want to know why you have woman pretending to shave a beard off. I just don't get it.

I'm using Chrome Version 27.0.1453.110 m and when I am on the Active Conversations screen the black 'Mumsnet Talk' immediately above the 'Talk: Customise | Unanswered messages |' bit has the top bit of the 'T' partially missing.
Hope that makes sense to someone at MNHQ!

I don't know if this has already been said, or if I am missing the point spectacularly (wouldn't be the first time) but with the old bar I could hover over the word TALK and the options for Active, I'm On, I'm Watching etc would appear.
With this bar I cannot do that. I have to press TALK, wait for it to load and THEN select Active, I'm On etc

So for me this is NOT an improvement.