A remodeling of Reddit’s long-lived and wholly beloved interface is afoot, and users are anything but coy about expressing their sentiments. With emotions running the gamut from miffed to elated, Reddit’s design squad is working diligently to craft a layout that’ll appease all parties. As an attempt to welcome feedback with open digital arms, Reddit created r/design, a subreddit “dedicated to discussing the new look.”
With Reddit’s 10-year-old design, it’s a wonder the platform hasn’t grown stale and banal. Perhaps Reddit postponed a revamp in design due to our visceral fear of change. Andrea Gross, the product manager of Reddit’s design team, reveals that the catalyst for restructuring the website was to “make the product easier on newcomers.” In other words, while Reddit veterans are versed in the complexities and inner workings of Reddit’s layout, Reddit rookies are deterred by its intricate format. In the hopes of engineering an optimal, functional, and ideal interface, Reddit will be instituting a slew of consumer-friendly implements.
While Reddit is hallmarked for its comment-heavy interface, the rejuvenated design intends to emphasize features of equal importance. Said features include a side panel, a banner image, and a viewing tab. As an effort to make the Reddit experience utterly user-oriented, Redditors will be given the option to alter the appearance of posts. While the compact and card redesigns offer an entirely new look, the classic design will still be available for nostalgic purposes. Many have tipped their hat to Reddit for incorporating formats that appeal to both novices and seasoned Reddit-goers.
While Reddit has a general idea of the new layout, many alterations still hang in the balance. Reason being, Reddit wants to ease their way into a design transition that upholds the desires of everyone. While many are excited by the prospect of a refurbished Reddit, others balk at the remodification. Some common misgivings about Reddit’s redesign include potential disruption of functionality and lessened importance on comments. Reddit’s sports community, in particular, fears that the new layout will break their “detailed, CSS-based layout.” While Reddit’s updated design is sure to ruffle feathers, the redesign is much-needed and long overdue. For more information click here https://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2018/05/04/reddits-designers-and-users-arent-seeing-eye-to-eye-over-sites-new-look/.