Changing the "top and bottom" of the Mumsnet site

[NellMumsnet]

You may notice that the top and bottom bits of Mumsnet are looking a bit different. Better, we hope.

If you’ve used Mumsnet for a while you’ve probably noticed that some pages, like the homepage, have one header design, while others, like the pregnancy section, have another – with a completely different set of navigation links.

From today we’re launching a new, unified header and footer across the site with the aim of making Mumsnet more consistent and easier to navigate. No matter what page you’re on, the navigation links will be the same. And in the same order.

It’s a big change for us, so we’re rolling it out carefully. For the next few weeks only a small proportion of Mumsnetters will be able to see the new design, so don’t worry if things look the same to you now. Based on the feedback we get and how well it goes technically, we’ll make it available to more and more people.

If you can see the new design, we’d love to know what you think:

• Has the new header and footer made Mumsnet easier to navigate for you?
• Do the navigation links make sense to you?
• What do you think about the mobile vs. the desktop designs?
• What could we do to make them better?

Do add comments below or email [email protected] if you have any thoughts, questions or concerns.

Also, although we’ve thoroughly tested the code, bugs may still slip through, so if you spot anything that looks wonky then we want to know about it. Please tell us which page you’re having problems with and the device you’re viewing it on – and if you can include a screenshot the tech team will love you forever.

[MattKMumsnet]

Hi @Graphista, thanks for your thoughtful feedback. We're going to be making continual improvements to the header and footer based on analytics and the feedback we get, so your comments are much appreciated.

I agree the settings and profile sections could use some work – we're actually working a project to make some improvements to them right now. Look out for a thread in Site Stuff shortly to discuss it...

[Graphista]

Sorry that should say it doesn't look like many employERS use it.

[Graphista]

• Has the new header and footer made Mumsnet easier to navigate for you? Not sure I'm not noticing much difference.

• What do you think about the mobile vs. the desktop designs? I don't use the desktop as I'm usually on the phone but had a look for this. No don't like it, looks untidy, too many ads and on phone requires too much scrolling - left to right as well as up n down.

• What could we do to make them better? Tidy & clarify desktop - but then I'm not really a user. Fewer ads and if you must have ads can I say I HATE moving/flashing ones that bugger the loading and make it hard to read what you're actually wanting to read. Do away with the profile nonsense. My text font etc still looks the same on mobile site is that going to change? I have noticed it can be slow to load sometimes more recently plus that thing of getting a blank page, flashing and 'page didn't load correctly so we're reloading it' or whatever it says is happening more, that's annoying.

In work topic, the tab on the right that slides a weird job search option overlaid on the topic thread list is REALLY annoying. Plus to be perfectly honest (and I know it's not really on topic) I was job hunting last year, as was dd, I wouldn't come to mn to job hunt. And a quick search just now shows that there's very few employees using it too - seems a waste of resources. Do many mners even use this?

I'm on the mobile site on iPhone safari.

• Do the navigation links make sense to you?

I've still got the same shortcuts (is that going to change? I hope NOT)

The wee speech bubble icon takes me to talk - active - which I have THREE other ways of directly accessing from the same page - overkill.

The wee person icon to the right of it gives me options

Settings - but doesn't take me to what I recognise as settings but instead to my account - is that supposed to happen? And if so how do I get to actual settings?

Inbox - self explanatory - prefer the larger icon notifying a new message.

Profile - does anyone even use this? I don't. It's not that kinda site most of us like the anonymity and the freedom this gives us to discuss sensitive topics.

Logout - self explanatory.

Re the menu that can be accessed top left.

I only use talk, so the other options are superfluous for me, not sure how other users think on this. Do people read the articles etc?

Top talk topics - does that change according to numbers of posts/new threads?

By footer do you mean the list

Home, talk, conception etc (which by the way seems also superfluous seeing as these are all available via menu button AND shortcuts) With the blue background.

Or the bit in small print that says

Help/contact us etc? I think that's what I had before anyway? Never use it.

"I think it would be useful to have site stuff in the top talk topics." Agree - stickied there?

In a previous job I assisted in setting up a website similar to this. I'm not a tech - which was the point - I was the 'lay person' trying things to see what was user friendly. It was industry specific and I was a 'typical user' and as here tech seem to just LOVE adding buttons/links for the hell of it. Makes no sense, it's additional work for the software which overloads and slows everything down and makes things more likely to go wrong surely?

[MattKMumsnet]

@ScreamingValenta Hooray! That's good news.

[ScreamingValenta]

Thank you @MattKMumsnet - the Mumsnet Jobs are now showing again.

[oldsilver]

Seems to be working...so far

[MattKMumsnet]

Hi everyone, just heard from tech – they've released another fix. Clearing your cache should sort the problem for good, but of course if it sneaks back let me know...

[HardAsSnails]

Thanks @MattKMumsnet, it is working sporadically at the moment...

[MattKMumsnet]

@HardAsSnails and @oldsilver, I've highlighted it to the tech team again so hopefully it'll be sorted soon.

[oldsilver]

Hi, been trying by clearing cache as advised. It works... rarely sometimes. It's making it really hard to use without being able to press watch a thread. I don't wish to have to keep clearing cache between each thread, and that not even working mostly.

What is all that blue stuff at the bottom - is it needed as well as drop down on menu? Very distracting.

[HardAsSnails]

@MattKMumsnet sadly it is not! I've cleared cookies etc as advised on other thread but it's still not working.

[MattKMumsnet]

Hi @HardAsSnails the problem with the menu button is now fixed.

[ScreamingValenta]

Me again, sorry @MattKMumsnet. Just noticed 'Mumsnet Jobs' isn't showing correctly - here's a screenshot. This is Safari 10.1

(Not that I am looking for a job - just happened to notice)

[ScreamingValenta]

That would be great @MattKMumsnet. I would like it purely for convenience - but it might also be preferred by people who are hiding certain topics because they feel sensitive about them.

I haven't tried the new format on the app yet, so will report if there are any issues once I have.

[MattKMumsnet]

Hi @BringMeTea, thanks for your reply. Please can you let me know which links are you missing and what adds the extra taps?

The concept of a single, consistent header and footer across the whole of Mumsnet is here to stay. However, we want to make sure it's significantly better than what we had before, so we will be making lots of improvements based on feedback like yours and data on how it's being used.

If there's anything else we can do to make it easier please do let me know.

[MattKMumsnet]

Hi @ScreamingValenta that's a good idea.

Talk topics in the banner are currently ordered by popularity, but I'll discuss with the team about making the list customisable. It's probably not something we can do right away as it will take quite a bit of Tech time, but I'll definitely investigate it.

[ScreamingValenta]

Just tagging @MattKMumsnet hopefully to reply to my post above, as I can see Matt is responding to this thread today rather than Nell.

[ScreamingValenta]

@NellMumsnet This appeared for me today and early indications are that it's good (on Safari browser, laptop).

One question - would it be possible to customise the topics that appear on the top banner? E.g. I would much rather have a short cut to The Litter Tray (I'm a cat owner) than Conception (I'm post-hysterectomy) - it would be great if we could pick our favourite topics rather than a default list that might include topics that are irrelevant.

[BringMeTea]

Hi Mattk. I just wondered if I can revert to old style at bottom of page as opposed to new layout, also at bottom. I am finding I have to do more 'taps' to navigate Talk topics. On ipad. I don't find the new top page drop downs as user friendly. Or is this the permanent 'new'? Many thanks.

[AttilaTheMusical]

Is there anyway you can stop ads continually running a video or changing from one picture to another - my desktop keeps freezing in the middle of either scrolling down or halfway through a word when I'm typing. I have to click on a vacant area of the screen to bring it back to life again. Only started doing it since your update.

[MattKMumsnet]

Hi @HardAsSnails, thanks for highlighting the menu button problem – the Tech team are sorting it as I type.

@BringMeTea where was your list of topics – maybe I can help?

[HardAsSnails]

And there isn't a customise menu on the mobile site now so I can't even add the bloody toolbar that I don't want but can't use the site without if that drop down menu has gone.

[BringMeTea]

Ok. Hate it. I want my old lists of topics back. How do I achieve this please?

[HardAsSnails]

The menu button won't work, I really don't want to use the bottom toolbar as it's too intrusive.

[imonaplane]

Thank you! That's much better!