Effective mobile navigation is crucial for any website, especially barristers’ chambers, where clients are looking for quick and easy access to information. Tela has researched mobile navigation strategies of the top 50 barristers’ chambers websites to see what trends occur.
To conduct our research, we analysed the mobile navigation structures of each website, looking at their design choices, including the placement of menus, the organisation of pages and the integration of innovative navigation elements. Through thorough examination and documentation, we uncovered valuable insights into the strategies used by barristers’ chambers to optimise mobile user experience.
Desktop navigation
On desktop screens, 56% of the websites such as Essex Court Chambers use a standard horizontal menu making navigation straightforward and familiar to users.
Meanwhile, 16% relied solely on a burger menu, even on larger screen sizes, which is controversial but can create a cleaner, minimalist appearance. Blackstone Chambers has taken this approach.
28% of the websites opted for a combination of both horizontal and burger menus, providing flexibility and catering to diverse user preferences.
Mobile navigation structure
When looking at the mobile navigation, 98% of the sites used a burger menu, indicating a strong preference for this compact and efficient navigation style for smaller screens, where there is limited screen space for large navigation. Only 2% of the websites maintained a horizontal menu alongside a burger menu. This suggests that while horizontal menus are valuable on desktops, they are largely phased out on mobile devices in favour of more streamlined navigation methods.
Burger menu placement
We then analysed the placement of burger menus on mobile websites. A significant majority 62%, positioned their burger menus in the top right-hand corner of the screen, a conventional and easily accessible location for most users.
Additionally, 20% of the websites place the burger menu in the bottom right corner which can be more ergonomic for thumb use on larger phones.
Interestingly, 8% of websites chose to place their burger menus on the top left corner of the screen, which is less common for modern websites. Lastly, 6% employed a dual placement strategy, featuring burger menus in both the top and bottom right-hand corners, potentially enhancing accessibility and user convenience by providing multiple user touchpoints.
Our findings highlight a dominant preference for right-hand placement, whether at the top or the bottom of the screen.
Hierarchy and organisation of menu pages
Examining the hierarchy and organisation of pages within the burger menus of the top 50 barristers’ chambers websites revealed diverse approaches to structuring content.
36% of the websites displayed only their main pages in the menus, providing a clean and uncluttered interface that focuses on primary navigation. Another 36% employed accordion menus, where clicking on a main page reveals its subpages underneath, offering a balance between simplicity and detailed navigation.
8% of the sites presented all pages directly in the menu, with subpages visible under their respective parent pages, which can be informative but may overwhelm users with too much information at once.
Lastly, 20% utilised a more interactive approach, showing only the main parent page initially, and upon clicking a new menu with the parent page subpages appears, creating a step-by-step navigation experience.
The use of toolbars in mobile navigation
We observed that all the sites with a burger menu positioned at the bottom right were integrated into a toolbar. A toolbar is a navigation bar placed at the bottom of the screen offering quick access to key functions and pages. This design choice has ergonomic benefits, allowing users to easily reach essential navigation elements such as home, search, and contact at the bottom, toolbars enhance usability and streamline the user experience.
Final thoughts
Our analysis of the top 50 barristers’ chambers websites reveals significant trends and best practices in mobile navigation.
From the prevalent use of burger menus, predominantly placed in the top right corner, to the innovative incorporation of toolbars for enhanced usability, these sites demonstrate a clear commitment to providing a seamless user experience.