Wikipedia has announce a desktop interface redesign. This update is the first major redesign for Wikipedia’s desktop interface in over 10 years. This update comes as the non-profit online encyclopaedia marks the English-language Wikipedia’s 22nd anniversary.
The redesign introduces a more user-friendly and intuitive reading experience for all desktop users.
Wikipedia also adds a new persistent Table of Contents menu, which tells users the section they are currently reading, while remaining visible as they scroll down the page to make navigating to different sections easier.
As per a press release announcing the redesign of its desktop interface, Wikipedia desktop users will be introduce to an improve search experience that allows users to leverage images and descriptions in order to find articles on the free online encyclopaedia, which, the organisation claims, leads to a 30% increase in user searches.
This redesign also places language-switching tools in a more prominent and easily accessible place on the user interface, allowing users to switch between over 300 support of languages.
Article headlines on the newly introduce Wikipedia desktop interface will now follow a sticky header format that moves with the user as they scroll down or up an article.
This, the Wikipedia claims, has reduce the scroll rate by more than 15% during user testing.
The table of contents, which allows for quick navigation between article sub-headers and topics, will now remain accessible on the left-hand side of a user’s screen, allowing for easier and quicker in-article navigation.
Wikipedia also confirm that the latest redesign does not remove any previous functionality and that it only introduces an easier, smoother experience for readers.
The Wikipedia said that it has work with 30 different volunteer groups from all over the world, including from India, Indonesia, Ghana, and Argentina to conceptualise and actualise the improvements made to the desktop interface, which is the first major redesign introduce by Wikipedia in over 10 years.
Wikipedia confirm in its press release that the redesign has already roll out to 94% of the 318 active language versions of Wikipedia for all desktop users.
