I also vote for new tab based on personal preference.
I think it's particularly important when linking to an outside website. Then you're directing traffic away from your site and they might a) forget they were there in the first place or b) be unable to find their way back to where they were on your site. Clearly we hope that users love the site so much that neither of those things happen, but why take the chance!
New Tab is the best solution. New Window is on second place, same tab is critically.
Rule No1: If users leave the course they have left the course. :-) That sounds highly logically, doesn't it?
But it's the truth. When learners navigate to another page the risk is quite high that they don't use the Back-Button. As long as a tab is opened they can return. When they have to navigate back - they won't return.
"New window" could help the users to stay away from the course quite a long time. The structure of the web helps them to vanish. They see a link, a new button, another page - another tab and nobody thinks about the learning window anymore. :-)
At the end of the day they see that a LMS window is still open. Perhaps they finish the course but the risk is high that they leave the office. Why? When do you close all your windows? When you are going to leave. What data will be submitted to the LMS Learning Instructor?
User xy has visited 16 slides - duration 5 hours
User Xy is really watching each slide very carefully. *smile*
I agree with everyone else that new tab is the best option but I would also like to see some flexibility here for situations in which a new tab might not be the best solution. So give us the option to set which way we want it to work.
My method of web development has always been to open a link in a new tab if the link:
Is unrelated to the original page it came from (third party content)
Disrupts what the user is doing on the original page (if there is still content on the original page the user needs to access)
Otherwise, if the link is the ultimate destination for the user and there is no need to access the content from the launch page, then it should open in the existing tab/window.
+1 for new tab. New window is the second best solution even if i dont like it
Same tab is ONLY ok if the course is finished and you on the last slide provides a link where you wanna give additional (external) information. (read this site if you are interested)
Hey Brett - The argument against forcingwebsite links to open in new windows or tabs (based on browser) is that you're overriding the user's experience.
Since most people know to open links in tabs or new windows (Ctrl-click or Shift-click), the school of thought is to let people manage their own windows and tabs.
Exceptions: non .html file types (pdfs, movies, etc) where a pop-up window can be used.
Hi David - I take your point (their point?) about users controlling their own web experience but in most cases aren't we developing a training experience that just happens to use the web as its medium of delivery? While I hate having a bunch of open window/tabs I think it's preferrable to having people jump out of your training altogether to follow a link.
Shame on me. :-) I was the first person who commented about e-learning and set all on the wrong track. *sorry
If we are only talking about websites (let's take the community as an example) it is a better idea when the new content opens in the current browser window. I do not like it so much if for each click a new window opens. At the end of a day (and this is not a phrase in this case) your browser opens 99 + tabs.
34 Replies
I vote for the new tab, too. Just my personal preference. :)
I also vote for new tab based on personal preference.
I think it's particularly important when linking to an outside website. Then you're directing traffic away from your site and they might a) forget they were there in the first place or b) be unable to find their way back to where they were on your site. Clearly we hope that users love the site so much that neither of those things happen, but why take the chance!
New tab!!
New Tab? Coke classic!! Wait? Soda or browsers?
New tab always!
New Tab, but I do like the original Tab also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON26QUxi1wI
New Tab is the best solution. New Window is on second place, same tab is critically.
Rule No1: If users leave the course they have left the course. :-) That sounds highly logically, doesn't it?
But it's the truth. When learners navigate to another page the risk is quite high that they don't use the Back-Button. As long as a tab is opened they can return. When they have to navigate back - they won't return.
"New window" could help the users to stay away from the course quite a long time. The structure of the web helps them to vanish. They see a link, a new button, another page - another tab and nobody thinks about the learning window anymore. :-)
At the end of the day they see that a LMS window is still open. Perhaps they finish the course but the risk is high that they leave the office. Why? When do you close all your windows? When you are going to leave. What data will be submitted to the LMS Learning Instructor?
User xy has visited 16 slides - duration 5 hours
User Xy is really watching each slide very carefully. *smile*
I agree with everyone else that new tab is the best option but I would also like to see some flexibility here for situations in which a new tab might not be the best solution. So give us the option to set which way we want it to work.
My method of web development has always been to open a link in a new tab if the link:
Otherwise, if the link is the ultimate destination for the user and there is no need to access the content from the launch page, then it should open in the existing tab/window.
+1 for the new tab.
+1 for new tab.
New window is the second best solution even if i dont like it
Same tab is ONLY ok if the course is finished and you on the last slide provides a link where you wanna give additional (external) information. (read this site if you are interested)
Definitely New tab
A new tab is the best of both worlds :-)
Thanks for weighing in everyone! Seems like we're all more or less on the same page (or tab, as it were).
Opens in a new tab.
Opening in the same tab is one of my most hated options on the internet.
I sense you have strong feelings about this issue, Joshua! hehe
Haha - you'd be right. Perhaps a little too strong...
Sure, new tab is going to be best.
Allison, just curious, what's the argument against a new tab?
@Joshua: I am with you 100% on this one!
Hey Brett - The argument against forcing website links to open in new windows or tabs (based on browser) is that you're overriding the user's experience.
Since most people know to open links in tabs or new windows (Ctrl-click or Shift-click), the school of thought is to let people manage their own windows and tabs.
Exceptions: non .html file types (pdfs, movies, etc) where a pop-up window can be used.
Give control to your learner... I mean user:-)
Hi David - I take your point (their point?) about users controlling their own web experience but in most cases aren't we developing a training experience that just happens to use the web as its medium of delivery? While I hate having a bunch of open window/tabs I think it's preferrable to having people jump out of your training altogether to follow a link.
Interesting discussion.
LOL Good point of clarification, Brett!
I assumed we were talking about websites. Totally agree w/ you re: course links.
Allison: Were you talking about websites or courses?
New tab!!
@David: I was talking about Websites initially, but it can be applied to courses as well.
@Allison
Shame on me. :-) I was the first person who commented about e-learning and set all on the wrong track. *sorry
If we are only talking about websites (let's take the community as an example) it is a better idea when the new content opens in the current browser window. I do not like it so much if for each click a new window opens. At the end of a day (and this is not a phrase in this case) your browser opens 99 + tabs.