Navigation Solutions for Improved User Experience

🔎 How To Redesign Complex Navigation: How We Restructured Intercom’s IA (https://lnkd.in/ezbHUYyU), a practical case study on how the Intercom team fixed the maze of features, settings, workflows and navigation labels. Neatly put together by Pranava Tandra. 🚫 Customers can’t use features they can’t discover. ✅ Simplifying is about bringing order to complexity. ✅ First, map out the flow of customers and their needs. ✅ Study how people navigate and where they get stuck. ✅ Spot recurring friction points that resonate across tasks. 🚫 Don’t group features based on how they are built. ✅ Group features based on how users think and work. ✅ Bring similar things together (e.g. Help, Knowledge). ✅ Establish dedicated hubs for key parts of the product. ✅ Relocate low-priority features to workflows/settings. 🤔 People don’t use products in predictable ways. 🤔 Users often struggle with cryptic icons and labels. ✅ Show labels in a collapsible nav drawer, not on hover. ✅ Use content testing to track if users understand icons. ✅ Allow users to pin/unpin items in their navigation drawer. One of the helpful ways to prioritize sections in navigation is by layering customer journeys on top of each other to identify most frequent areas of use. The busy “hubs” of user interactions typically require faster and easier access across the product. Instead of using AI or designer’s mental model to reorganize navigation, invite users and run a card sorting session with them. People are usually not very good at naming things, but very good at grouping and organizing them. And once you have a new navigation, test and refine it with tree testing. As Pranava writes, real people don’t use products in perfectly predictable ways. They come in with an infinite variety of needs, assumptions, and goals. Our job is to address friction points for their realities — by reducing confusion and maximizing clarity. Good IA work and UX research can do just that. [Useful resources in the comments ↓] #ux #IA

A single navigation change generated $905,000 in additional revenue. Here's the psychological principle that made it work. Our client had great products and solid traffic. But customers kept abandoning their carts after adding multiple items. We discovered something fascinating in the user behavior data. Once customers applied filters on mobile, those filters disappeared from view. Customers forgot what they were originally looking for. They'd start over. Get frustrated. Leave entirely. This is called the "doorway effect" in psychology. When people move between pages or contexts, they literally forget what they were doing. It's hardwired into how our brains work. The solution was deceptively simple. We added the selected filters to the top of the product page. Always visible. Always reminding customers what they came to find. Revenue jumped $905,000. Same products. Same inventory. Same checkout process. The only difference was removing a psychological friction point that customers couldn't even articulate. Most enterprise teams focus on building new features while ignoring basic psychological barriers that cost millions. Your customers aren't asking for more complexity. They're asking for less confusion. The biggest conversion opportunities often hide in the smallest psychological details.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗯 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: 𝗔𝗻 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗨𝗜/𝗨𝗫 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 Here’s a little UX anecdote to chew on: Back in the early 2000s, a major e-commerce website noticed something strange. Customers were abandoning their carts midway, not because of pricing or product issues but because they couldn’t remember how they got there. The solution? Breadcrumb navigation. A simple trail showing users their path—like “Home > Electronics > Smartphones > Accessories”—reduced drop-offs by 15%. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆? In the rush to design sleek, minimalist interfaces, many designers overlook breadcrumbs. But here’s the thing: breadcrumbs aren’t just for large websites. They’re essential for any interface where users move through multiple levels of content or steps. 🔑 The overlooked power of breadcrumbs: 1️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁: They give users a sense of place, reducing cognitive load. 2️⃣ 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲: Users can jump back without hunting for the menu, improving navigation. 3️⃣ 𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁: On websites, they improve crawlability and search rankings. 𝗣𝗿𝗼 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Design breadcrumbs that are clean and clickable. For mobile, consider collapsible breadcrumbs to save screen space while retaining functionality. Remember, even the most experienced designers sometimes undervalue simple tools. But in UX, it’s often the simplest solutions that create the biggest impact. 💬 Have you used breadcrumbs in a unique way recently? Or maybe you’ve encountered a design where they saved the day? Share your thoughts below! 🖍✨ #UXDesign #BreadcrumbNavigation #UIUXTips #WebDesign #UserExperience #MinimalistUI #NavigationDesign #CognitiveLoad #SEOBoost #UXStrategy #DesignInnovation #UserJourney #UXInspiration #WebsiteDesign #DesignForMobile #EcommerceDesign

6 clicks to find the "𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞" button. I watched a user navigate a fintech dashboard. They were lost in their own product. The product manager sitting next to me whispered: "This happens every user test." Here's what went wrong. Every time they added a feature, they added a new menu. Payment reports? ➞ New sidebar. User settings? ➞ Different dropdown. Export data? ➞ Hidden somewhere else. Year 1: Clean and simple. Year 3: A maze. One developer told me: "I add shortcuts every sprint just so users can find stuff." Band-aid after band-aid. The dashboard became a puzzle even the team couldn't solve. We didn't add more menus. We built one navigation system for everything. Global Nav Module: → Every feature lives in one clear place → Same logic, every time → New features plug in without breaking old paths Think of it like organizing a house. Instead of hiding things in random rooms, everything has its spot. Users learn once. Find anything forever. Results: ✓ 40% fewer clicks to reach any action ✓ Zero nav patches needed ✓ New features added in hours, not days Best feedback? A user messaged support: "Did you make the app faster? Everything feels quicker." We didn't touch speed. We just made things findable. After fixing 50+ dashboards, I see the same mistake: Teams treat navigation like decoration. It's not. Navigation is your product's skeleton. Mess it up early, and every new feature makes it worse. Good navigation? Users don't even notice it. They just... get things done. Open your product. Try to find your most-used feature. Count the clicks. More than 3? You're losing users every day. What's the hardest thing to find in YOUR product?

Poor navigation will KILL your conversions. We revamped a client’s menu, resulting in a 46% jump in purchases from users who engaged with it. Here’s what we did: The Challenge: 🚩 The original menu listed 30+ options under “Shop.” 🚩 Users couldn’t access products directly; everyone was routed through collection pages. What We Found: 🔎 Users bypassing collections converted at 7.2%. 🔎 Users going through collections converted at just 3.6%. Our Solution: 💡 Reduced the menu to four main categories plus a “Sale” section. The Results: 📈 Product views went up by 17%, with an 18.5% boost for mobile users. 📈 Click-to-view rate increased by 65%. 📈 Click-to-purchase rate rose by 46%. 📈 Adding “Shop by Category” led to double-digit product view growth. Not bad for a simple tweak. P.S. Our research shows 1 in 4 sessions include menu interaction. You wouldn’t block 25% of customers in a physical store—so don’t do it online.

Our 9-figure supplement client was bleeding revenue through their navigation. So we took a different approach. We design navigation solely for profit. Here's what we did: 1️⃣ Strategic Separation: - Split shoppable links (Shop by Benefit, Shop by Product, Bestsellers) from non-shoppable links (About, Reviews, Shipping Info, FAQs) - Made shoppable sections visually prominent on the first level - Moved secondary links to clearly marked secondary sections 2️⃣ Dynamic Bestsellers Section: - Added top 4 products with images, reviews, and benefit-driven copy - Made it dynamic so it automatically adjusts based on sales data 3️⃣ Data-Driven Category Optimization: - Used Clarity heatmap data instead of guesswork to reorder categories - Identified low-performing categories like "anti-aging" and "mood" - Added missing "weight loss" category for their growing product line 4️⃣ Mobile-First Strategy: - Optimized mobile menu structure (their primary traffic source) - Created clear visual hierarchy for purchase-focused navigation - Reduced cognitive load for their older, less tech-savvy audience The psychology here is simple. Shoppers shouldn't have to hunt for the buy button. Your menu should push them straight into high-intent buying paths. The results were significant: ✅ Visitors clicked into buying journeys faster ✅ Fewer distractions from non-revenue pages ✅ Stronger focus on top-converting products ✅ Better user experience for their specific demographic No new traffic. No ad spend. Just a navigation that sells.

Ever tried to find test results in a patient portal? It’s like an escape room – except no clues, no keys, and every door leads to an unexpected landing page. Healthcare tech was meant to streamline care. Done wrong, it sends patients down rabbit holes of endless clicks and confusing menus. That’s why “𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆” is a core pillar of the Patient Experience Scale we created. Today, we’re focusing on “Navigation,” an essential component of our Simplicity pillar. Here are 5 UX fixes to make patient portals easier to navigate: 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 Use card sorting and tree testing to organize content based on real mental models, not internal org charts. 2️⃣ 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Swap deep menus for clear mega-menus that surface top patient needs. 3️⃣ 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 Let’s please kill “click here.” Use descriptive links that tell patients exactly where they’re going. 4️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 On any site with meaningful content, intuitive search is essential, not a nice-to-have. 5️⃣ 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 Streamline key tasks – like finding test results or messaging a provider – into 2-3 steps max. When navigation works, patients feel confident. When it doesn’t, they get lost. Curious how well your site guides patients? Try the PX Scale: https://lnkd.in/gVd7Vd-z Let’s make care easier to navigate, digitally and beyond.

We recently helped a leader in data enterprise struggling to guide different users to the right product pages. Their main issues were: → Users for Product A didn't want Product B info. → Navigation led to unified, confusing pages. → All visitors ended on the same page, despite interests. So, how did we simplify navigation for different users? 1/ Distinct Tabs: → Created tabs for 'Product A' and 'Product B.' → Each tab focused on its audience. → Visitors found their desired product easily. 2/ Efficient Space Use: → Presented only the key options. → Reduced the number of links. → Minimized cognitive overload for users. 3/ Intuitive Layout: → Organized tabs logically. → Added a clear overview for each product. → Linked related features and useful resources. ___ This year, I audited 400+ B2B websites to uncover why they fall short of delivering results. In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing the most common issues and how your team can fix them.

Are your mobile app users struggling to find what they need? One of the biggest challenges in Product Design is creating a seamless, intuitive experience, especially in mobile apps where space is limited. As UX/UI designers, our goal is to guide users effortlessly, but complex layouts or unclear navigation can quickly derail that experience. Here’s a solution: - Prioritize key actions : Focus on the primary user goals and make those actions easily accessible. - Use visual hierarchy smartly : Bold typography, contrasting colors, and icons help users locate essential elements faster. - Minimalist navigation : Limit the number of navigation options and keep them consistent across screens. Test & iterate : Real-world testing reveals pain points you might miss during the design phase, especially for SaaS products with complex workflows. Remember, simplicity is not just about fewer elements - it’s about purposeful design choices that lead to a better user experience. Let’s connect if you’re interested in exploring more strategies to enhance mobile app usability! #MobileAppDesign #MobileApp #ProductDesign #UXUI #UserExperience

💡 𝐃𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨 𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞? 𝐎𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝? A seamless shopping experience isn’t just about clean navigation—it’s about anticipating your customers’ needs and guiding them effectively. 🔍 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦: Visitors get lost in your site, unsure where to find what they need. They leave because they don’t feel guided or supported. Lack of trust and clarity makes them hesitate to purchase. ✨ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 1️⃣ 𝐀𝐬𝐤, 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬: Use smart, custom popups to ask visitors what they’re looking for and guide them to the right product instantly. 2️⃣ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Show products that align with their search or browsing behavior—because relevant suggestions convert better! 3️⃣ 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭: Add review ratings, trust badges, and a clear refund/return policy to give shoppers confidence. 4️⃣ 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Ensure menus and categories are intuitive, and highlight popular or seasonal collections. When visitors feel understood and supported, they’re more likely to buy—and even more likely to return. 𝐀 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫-𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧; 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 🚀 #EcommerceTips #CustomerJourney #ProductRecommendations #CustomerTrust #NavigationOptimization #ShopifySolutions