Recently I have been working on restyling tabs on a widget. Some problems I have encountered during the restyle is our 960 grid system which with a side navigation included allows me a space of 12 cols to work with.
While researching, top tab placement seemed to be a common pattern used. However if more tabs are added to max out the first row a second row is created which isn't very eye-catching.
Side tab placement would allow the widget to display tabs in a single row going downwards. However less content doesn't look good in a large container.
What is the best practice for tab placement on a widget? Which would provide for a better user experience?
Answer
Through research regarding tabs, top placement is best as a top tab can appear as a header to the associated content below.
It's also a good rule of thumb to constrain a tab count (usually 5 - 7) that adds a bit of control to user content. If tabs exceed the 5 - 7 limit content editors will continue to create new tabs which can overflow and create clutter. Even adding a more tab could create more user confusion as it can display even more information that creates more clutter.
Users like simplicity and being able to find information quickly!
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