Android UX: Smart to use consistent design pattern?

Question

I'm developing an app for Android and was wondering on a basic design decision.

I have three screens. Two of these use the sliding layer design pattern:

However, the main menu screen uses a standard tab bar:

I was wondering if it's better design to have it how it is (Sliding Layer for the two locations and the tab bar for the menu), or if I should make all of them use the Sliding Layer?

Answer 1

You should try not to have two completely different methods of navigation which are each trying to accomplish the same thing.

There's nothing wrong with having the sliding layer approach be used for global navigation combined with a tab approach for local navigation within each section.

However, you should try to avoid a situation in which a user has to think about where he is before he can figure out how to navigate away.

I'm not quite clear on the whole IA here, but from your screenshots, I wouldn't know how to access the second screen from the first.

I try to avoid using the sliding layer approach with tabs because it introduces too many left/right actions. In such a case, I switch to a spinner at the top.