I designed an app and would like advice on the side drawer. You almost always see it placed on the left side of the app. Have there been any references or studies on what happens if it's placed on the right side?
Like this:
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Can you define "drawer" and give an example, preferably in a pictures? I hear "drawer" and can think of plenty of examples that use the right hand side.– Nicholas PappasCommented Dec 16, 2013 at 21:25
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Absolutely, something like this– RedenCommented Dec 16, 2013 at 21:29
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Windows 8 has drawers on the right side. On all sides actually.– user22677Commented Dec 16, 2013 at 22:12
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2 Answers
For right handed users, when the menu appears on the left hand side, it's often hard to reach the items, or indeed the menu button in the first place.
Considering the majority of users will be right handed, it may be worth taking into consideration. If you're developing an app to be used by a regular logged in user, it might even be worth asking them their menu side preference or giving them the choice in a settings panel.
There is this article on the matter, which outlines issues with physical reach and problems hitting edges. You have both of those problems at once when you put a menu on the opposite side to which hand they use.
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2013/11/design-for-fingers-and-thumbs-instead-of-touch.php
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2Related: For touchscreen interaction, are there benefits to knowing a user's preferred hand? Commented Dec 17, 2013 at 2:32
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I am not an UX expert, but I do believe this is strictly related to the read-write direction.
I sometime use apps in Hebrew (which is read-write from right to left) and sometimes such drawers are placed in the left side of the app, and that is just plain weird.
I think you should keep this 'language-rule'. For English-like languages (read-write from left to right) use the drawer in the left side and Hebrew-like languages use it from right to left.
When I'm using an app, my attention is tilted to the way I read, so placing the drawer in the most notable and attention holding place is a wise thing to do, in my opinion.
