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I notice that the header of this site (you can see it for yourself) only has plain blue. Why doesn't it contain some drawing?

Some other headers of other Stack Exchange sites: image description image description image description image description

Disclaimer: I have considered to ask this question on the meta of SE, or the meta of this site. However, since I don't know much about UX, I think this is intended. Therefore, there is some thing about the UX, and it will be best to ask here.

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  • I've moved it over here because it is specifically about this site; it isn't a general UX question.
    – JonW Mod
    Jan 21, 2015 at 15:37
  • I was wondering about what looks like the incomplete star between U and X? Always thought it looks a bit lame.
    – Wander
    Jan 21, 2015 at 16:12
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    The design process of the UX.SE look and feel is described here. You can also read about it here. Also, there had been some discussion of the logo specifically in the past here on meta.
    – Vitaly Mijiritsky
    Jan 23, 2015 at 13:57
  • @VitalyMijiritsky a very well explain from the author. Nice search :)
    – Ooker
    Jan 23, 2015 at 14:23

4 Answers 4

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My argument would be two-fold:

  1. Our logo is ... lacking.

  2. Our spacing feels ... cluttered.

This creates a weird paradox in my brain where I get to thinking that this is supposed to be a site about User Experience, but the logo and spacing aren't giving me that feeling.

I know this isn't GraphicDesign.SE, but look at the clean and simple logo along with their spacing:

Then meta:

I wouldn't mind us doing something subtle like they do in their background and spacing. It's clean, not cluttered, but gives you just enough of that extra pop.

That's just my opinion though.

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I think that has a lot to do with the nature of UX.

UX isn't always visual. UX is the underlining structure of the design. What makes the design alive (other than the styling). UX has a lot to do with preliminary design. Which normally isn't always visually stimulating (user flows, personas user research, user testing, etc). In it's nature, it is "basic" visually speaking, but the content itself is very rich.

So to put it simply. it's a basic outline. And also UX philosophy is less is more (most of the time) and I believe that's what is reflected in the header.

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We can only guess, of course. I think a part of it was that, if I recall, UX was one of the first SE sites. The 'pictures in the header' seems to have become a trend as more and more SE sites came into the fold (perhaps as a way to further differentiate the multitude of SE sites these days).

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I would argue that it shows a focus on the UX of the site. Does the drawing in the other sites add to the UX, or is it simply something that you look at once, think "oh, pretty" and then learn to ignore?

I use quite a few other StackExchange sites, and I couldn't tell you off the top of my head if any of them have any drawings in the header. So for me at least, they don't add any value.

But then again, maybe it wasn't intentional, and was a case of someone simply not thinking about it or forgetting to add a picture. Either way, intentional or not, I think it was a good choice.

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  • since you both agree with each other, I think it's ok to discuss in here. I think the drawing adds value. Most of the time, when I have a question, say in physics, when I start typing the letter p on the address bar, what appears in my mind is the curved space demonstrated in the header. Same for other sites. So I think having a drawing is benefit. No dawing to keep focusing on the UX of the site, I agree, but stretch some demonstration of UX rules would also do the same, or even better. I would argue that the less is more philosophy is more on graphic design than UX. @Majo0od
    – Ooker
    Jan 21, 2015 at 17:30
  • Not necessarily. One huge element of UX is don't think creating a crazy "new" experience is a good thing. Because what's already there shouldn't be changed because it's become an expected behavior.
    – UXerUIer
    Jan 21, 2015 at 17:40
  • But why isn't it be there at the first time?
    – Ooker
    Jan 22, 2015 at 0:51
  • @Ooker Why should it have been there the first time? I don't see any compelling benefit to it. If something isn't improving the UX, it's detracting from it.
    – JohnGB Mod
    Jan 22, 2015 at 12:10
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    This isn't a very strong argument, because all sites have the same general user experience in many ways. The information architecture is identical to all SE sites, and their headers don't make their sites more difficult to use. I think DA01 is probably closest to the truth - it was just early days. They could easily create something good now, so subtle that you'd barely notice, and it would make the site less visually boring for me at least, while not worsening your experience at all.
    – Dom
    Jan 26, 2015 at 23:16
  • As someone who visits a lot of various SE sites, the header (including the images) help me to easily notice/remember which site I am on.
    – asmeurer
    Jan 28, 2015 at 6:06

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