Have you ever liked a website redesign?

[Bigkrev]

This isn't a thread about the Era redesign (though I also hate that), but something I've realized over the years is that I always hate website redesigns. From forums, to Social Media, to E-mail, to normal websites- I always find website redesigns somewhere from a mild annoyance to a complete travesty. They load slower, they are harder to navigate, they are harder to read, they lose functionality- it's never just a "hey, we kept our old design and just fixed a few issues", it's "we completely redesigned this to look unrecognizable, and while we may have fixed some issues, there are now a billion more".

Some of the websites that especially stand out:
Gmail: it now loads at about half the speed it used to load, and I haven't figured out a single new feature it's added that I have used.
Kotaku (and all former Gawker websites): These are probably the worst of the bunch- the dreaded infinite scolling even on desktop, its impossible to find older articles, and its such a bloated feed that you can't even tell what you are looking at is an ad, a new article, or a cross-post from a different site
ESPN: if you have a favorite writer on the website, you better pray to go their article is the first thing to show up on the website, because they have de-emphisised writing so much that unless you search their name, you just aren't going to be able to find the writing.
Facebook: I'm an incredibly old person who registered for Facebook back in 2006. I haven't used it with any regularitiy since....2011? because the news feed is a fucking mess. Just... let me see the posts my friends are making?

The worst part? after a number of years, you finally get used to the redesign. Sure, it's generally worse than it was before, but you have used the site enough that you mostly have re-learned where things go. And then... it's time for another redesign. And then you start feeling nostaligic for the last redesign, because while you hated it, you don't hate it as much as the new redesign!

 

[Narroo]

Part of the issue is that often site redesigns are following fads in one way or another. Social media and mobile is the new big thing so when a major, money-making website redesigns, it redesigns for: Social Media, and to a lesser extend: Mobile integration.

Smaller forums use precanned software, which is also run by fad following businesses. So again, updates tend to result in subpar results because the new software is not totally designed with the target website in mind.

 

[alr1ght]

They're generally pretty bad, with lost functionality and speed in favor of looks. This seems no different.

 

[digitalrelic]

Love this one.

 

[manhack]

Most new websites run like complete garbage even on decent hardware. It's ridiculous.

 

[Vesper]

No, but I get used to them (most of the time).

 

[Admiral Woofington]

When folks hate website redesigns it seems to be 90% they got used to the previous iteration and 10% any possible negatives.

It happened on YouTube redesigns all the time. As for era, I don't mind it but it seems to take a tad longer to load shit on mobile now?

 

[Brashnir]

Pretty much agree with all points in the OP. The new Giant Bomb site is awful as well.

 

[Fliesen]

This isn't a thread about the Era redesign (though I also hate that), but something I've realized over the years is that I always hate website redesigns. From forums, to Social Media, to E-mail, to normal websites- I always find website redesigns somewhere from a mild annoyance to a complete travesty. They load slower, they are harder to navigate, they are harder to read, they lose functionality- it's never just a "hey, we kept our old design and just fixed a few issues", it's "we completely redesigned this to look unrecognizable, and while we may have fixed some issues, there are now a billion more".

Some of the websites that especially stand out:
Gmail: it now loads at about half the speed it used to load, and I haven't figured out a single new feature it's added that I have used.
Kotaku (and all former Gawker websites): These are probably the worst of the bunch- the dreaded infinite scolling even on desktop, its impossible to find older articles, and its such a bloated feed that you can't even tell what you are looking at is an ad, a new article, or a cross-post from a different site
ESPN: if you have a favorite writer on the website, you better pray to go their article is the first thing to show up on the website, because they have de-emphisised writing so much that unless you search their name, you just aren't going to be able to find the writing.
Facebook: I'm an incredibly old person who registered for Facebook back in 2006. I haven't used it with any regularitiy since....2011? because the news feed is a fucking mess. Just... let me see the posts my friends are making?

The worst part? after a number of years, you finally get used to the redesign. Sure, it's generally worse than it was before, but you have used the site enough that you mostly have re-learned where things go. And then... it's time for another redesign. And then you start feeling nostaligic for the last redesign, because while you hated it, you don't hate it as much as the new redesign!

Click to shrink...

This doesn't work because people don't really post stuff on Facebook. I would assume that - if you have 200 friends or so, there'll be like 2 posts a day? That's not how you keep your users checking the site offen, allowing you to serve them ads.

 

[shnurgleton]

This one is confusing but yes I am sure I will get used to it eventually

 

[gcwy]

No, never. And I absolutely despise this one. Makes me not want to read this forum anymore.

 

[mescalineeyes]

Every version of Pitchfork is better than the one before.

 

[lmcfigs]

I think reddit has the absolute worst redesign.

 

[BriGuy]

I'm ambivalent to most of them. Usually they're just different, no better or worse than what came before. Light Era has been a real downgrade though, at least until I figure out out a bit more. The blue thread titles on a light gray background just look soft and fuzzy, and I don't like having mini avatars next to each thread. I try to be discrete about visiting a game forum while at work, but this cotton candy looking bullshit just screams "hey, fire this guy!" to anyone who catches a glance of my mobile screen.

 

[tangeu]

I like this one

I loved when hotmail took the outlook aesthetic

The recent giantbomb redesign is great

 

[Mindwipe]

There are certainly some I didn't feel were especially user hostile. But not often, because we're on a continued trend of lower and lower information density on sites.

Most website designers actively hurt the businesses that commission them.

 

[leafcutter]

I've never liked a redesign. In fact it seems like the entire internet had been going downhill since the golden age of geocities.

 

[VeryHighlander]

I liked a few of YouTube's Redesigns but man this place just looks and performs much worse than yesterday and I hate it

 

[Bigkrev]

Pretty much agree with all points in the OP. The new Giant Bomb site is awful as well.

Click to shrink...

I didn't call out the Giant Bomb re-design because I basically never go to the website (I use the Roku and iOS apps to watch videos and I listen to the podcasts on Downcast- it's not like they do any writing anymore) but while thats a bad redesign, at least it highlights videos- the point of the website- better?

I think reddit has the absolute worst redesign.

Click to shrink...

Oh holy shit yeah the new reddit is the fucking worst. Thankfully, they let you still use the old version, but anytime I go to reddit on a new computer I see the new design and instantly get terrified it's now being forced on me

 

[Jadusable]

Only a small few, and not this one at all if I'm being honest.

 

[stumblebee]

I like the Giant Bomb redesign, it has kinks, but I think it'll be better than the old site eventually.

I liked the Youtube redesigns, I liked the Facebook redesigns.

Era's redesign is a goddamn trash heap though.

 

[CaptainCanada]

I always feel uncomfortable using the site for a period of time after a redesign but eventually get used to it.

 

[Weebos]

It's very rare that I like one.

I don't really like Era's new look, but it's not particularly egregious so far. I can see myself getting used to it.

 

[MrSaturn99]

Not very often. It's even worse these days when how many shift to a blogging format, which I especially found antithetical for fansites and whatnot.

ERA's is okay, although I thought the original was perfectly clean. My eyes are still adjusting here.

 

[Rivenblade]

I'm digging this one so far. Re-designs are always hit-or-miss. *shrugs*

 

[ldcommando]

Nope

 

[Instro]

I don't like change the thread.

 

[Tabby]

I've hated every single redesign, especially Reddit and Giantbomb but I'm digging this one so far.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

I'm just finding this one hard to get used to. Like the general page I'm looking at seems a lot busier.

 

[Mr. Bad Example]

Kotaku (and all former Gawker websites): These are probably the worst of the bunch- the dreaded infinite scolling even on desktop, its impossible to find older articles, and its such a bloated feed that you can't even tell what you are looking at is an ad, a new article, or a cross-post from a different site

Click to shrink...

Good Christ, yes. They and a bunch of similar sites fell prey to that whole godawful flat-design aesthetic where everything is a spew of seemingly randomly-sized tiles all over the place and an animated carousel and infinite scrolling and and and...

I had to resort to putting an RSS reader in between me and about eight of the sites I used to read just because I couldn't tell where the latest fucking articles were.

 

[SPCTRE]

while I have a certain sympathy for not liking change, I enjoy many redesigns.

Giant Bomb and ResetERA are recent examples for contemporary, smart approaches to full page redesigns

 

[linkboy]

The most important thing on a website/forum is the information. To many people put style over functionality and that's why I can't stand most redesigns.

There's a reason why K.I.S.S is an acronym and I wish more people adhered to it.

while I have a certain sympathy for not liking change, I enjoy many redesigns.

Giant Bomb and ResetERA are recent examples for contemporary, smart approaches to full page redesigns

Click to shrink...

The desktop site is fine, the mobile site is a huge pain in the ass to use, even on a phone like the Note 8.

 

[Hace]

I don't mind them if they're done well, but this one sure aims for a pretty look over ease of parsing and navigation

 

[Notaskwid]

I have the opposite issue, I always like the redesigns, by me it could change every day.
I'm just not big on critical thinking.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

A common theme with re-designs is how fucking horrible they run

ERA's new design isn't bad, there are things that should be trimmed, but the performance is noticeably worse than the original design.

 

[Virtua Saturn]

I really like Reset Era's new design. Not a website but I am really trying to tolerate the new Pocket Cast redesign but it's hard.

 

[Relix]

I am generally open to them but the new design for ERA is at the top of my most hated. I love all the new features but the design leaves a lot to be desired from a navigational standpoint. We'll probably get adjustments and I don't want to shit on top of anyone's hard work.

 

[Deleted member 11008]

This new design feel different, but I'm really loving it how fast it's, either in mobile or in my workplace PC.

 

[Impetuous Imp]

They don't bother me much unless functionality is lost. I've been on the development end of website redesigns and have been a mod on a forum that went through a major overhaul. Most people's complaints in that case pretty much boiled down to "I don't like change" and that seems to be what I hear most of the time when a site changes rather than legitimate issues with the way it functions.

 

[Kingpin Rogers]

No but I always get used to them. I probably prefer Era's old design but this one isn't too bad and I'm sure I'll get used to it.

 

[Deleted member 2226]

Digg's redesign was actually pretty decent, although it coincided with the terrible policies that killed it dead.

The old mac forum Spymac.com's Version 4 had some weaknesses, but it was both slicker and faster than its predecessor. And then they turned into a terrible-looking Youtube clone a few years later.

 

[Arkanim94]

Well, I like this redesign.

 

[sir_crocodile]

There have been a few good ones.

Most suck because they lower info density in favour of giant empty spaces. (The new Era redesign, reddit).
Some suck because, as has been mentioned, they do the infinite scrolling thing like Kotaku, which is always awful.

 

[metalgear89]

Web designers have a hard on for wasting space.

 

[CitizenVectron]

This one isn't bad, but it still suffers from Web 2.0/3.0 wasted space (empty space vertically between posts, for example, meaning less posts visible per screen while you are scrolling).

 

[ODDI]

I miss legacy dark :(

 

[Deleted member 18407]

I just don't like the current design trends. It reminds me of that bulky plastic look that is used in young children's furniture and larger toys.

 

[Sec0nd]

Often times I don't like redesigns because sudden change is always hard. Especially when it seems unnecessary. But most of the time it's because redesigns bring new 'gadgets' and other new features with them without considering if they actually add to the experience or enhance it. Which is the core of my problem with the new ResetEra redesign. Too many things are added, be it actual features or cosmetic 'bling' that actually detract from the experience. I.E. needing more clicks to get where you are going.

A redesign I actually like is YouTube. It's usability is significantly better than it used to be. Vimeo's recent slight redesign improves the usability as well, though it could use some extra work.

 

[Kuroyume]

I'm finding it hard to navigate the forums now. This redesign is too complicated.

 

[Nishastra]

I can't think of one. This one has obvious usability problems like ""Quick Jump"" replacing of all of the old navigation options, while being slower and more cumbersome than any of them (especially the bottom-of-thread ones).

Giant Bomb had a recent redesign where the only idea behind it seemed to be "look like a phone app". Doing anything other than watching the four most recent videos is several times more difficult and lots of information the old site showed is now hidden. It's literally just less usable, but it looks nice on a phone!

Generally, redesigns seem to be about "looking modern" at the expense of... well, everything else.