Good navigation is essential to every website which raises the debate over the ever increasing hamburger menu icon. A common design trend in 2018, it makes it difficult to avoid with the icon being used in most mobile sites and apps, whilst also becoming increasingly popular in desktop designs too.
Pros
- Clean design – Resulting in a minimal, clean, uncluttered layout.
- Popular design trend – As the trend continues, people are becoming increasingly aware of it’s functionality.
- Large navigation – The menu can accommodate a large array of navigational options.
Cons
- Low discoverability – What’s out of sight is out of mind. Being able to see the navigation enables users to scan your content and get a feel for your website.
- Requires knowledge – We should never assume that everyone will understand the icon.
- Less efficient – Creates an additional click, meaning two clicks instead of one to reach the desired page.
Summary
In my opinion, as much as I love the minimalism of the burger menu, the safer more user friendly option would be to remain with the mainstream navigation list…for now.
Paul – WebsiteNI Web Designer
