Global Navigation 2.0
Realigning the global navigation to a new objective
In 2024, SEL’s global sales team set out to shift how products and services were positioned for both new and existing customers. Customer feedback and surveys revealed that users were less likely to search by specific product names or types, and instead looked for solutions based on product categories and the needs those products fulfill.
THE CHALLENGE
In response, a new product taxonomy was developed in collaboration with the content management and product teams. This effort introduced additional structural changes across the site, including:
Reframing the Solutions section as Industries to better support industry‑based discovery
Restructuring the Engineering Services section to align with the updated product taxonomy
When mapped against the existing global navigation, it became clear that the current UX could no longer support the new content strategy, prompting a full navigation refresh.
MY ROLE
UX and interaction design for global navigation
Definition of interaction models across desktop, tablet, and mobile
Creation of detailed Figma specs and interactive prototypes
Ongoing collaboration with development throughout implementation
Once a navigation concept was approved, I translated the design into detailed specifications and high‑fidelity prototypes in Figma. The prototype accurately reflected the behavior of the live desktop navigation, including:
All interaction triggers and statesMenu animations and transitionsResponsive behavior for tablet and mobile breakpoints
While mobile and tablet layouts required minor structural adjustments, overall functionality remained consistent across devices.
Several new elements were introduced as part of the redesign, including in‑menu lead forms, which required additional interaction and layout specifications. I also accounted for two potential content scenarios, as the content team was still finalizing whether Industries or Solutions would be included in the initial launch.
Throughout development, I worked closely with the engineering team to answer questions quickly and minimize workflow interruptions. When developers identified missing interactions or user paths, I collaborated with them to update the Figma specifications and ensure alignment before implementation continued.
REFLECTION
Some design feedback received after the handoff to development highlighted opportunities for a more holistic approach earlier in the process. The original menu concept featured a panel that slid in from the left and spanned the full height of the viewport. Late feedback requested that the menu height instead hug its content—a change that initially appeared minor but ultimately required developers to restructure significant portions of the component mid‑build.
This change also surfaced a secondary issue: with the menu no longer anchored on three sides, sliding in from the left edge felt unnecessary. In hindsight, a dropdown transition—floating down from the navbar rather than animating from the viewport edge—would have been a more appropriate interaction model for the revised layout.
While the development team successfully executed the design, this experience reinforced the value of earlier collaboration. Developers were brought in once design directions had been narrowed, but involving them earlier—during wireframe and concept exploration—could have surfaced structural concerns sooner and reduced rework later in the process.