I've been creating a new clock every day and am approaching entry 500. The project now includes tags, but I'm finding the navigation increasingly difficult to evaluate and organize. I'd love feedback on how to make it easier to browse, whether the homepage and list view should be combined, and how to make the experience more engaging. I'm also considering thematic collections for groups such as astrological signs, planets, fruits, and the six simple machines, but I'm unsure whether those should be separate sections or simply use the existing tag system. On individual clock pages, visitors can follow tags, move to the previous or next clock, return home, or browse through other paths, and I'm worried that having so many options may be distracting. I'd also appreciate thoughts on whether the clocks should remain abstract or make the time easier to read.
5 Answers
At this scale, a search bar would probably be one of the biggest improvements. Visitors may want to find a particular entry number, date, or type of clock without scrolling through hundreds of items. I’d also add a clearly labeled “Jump to latest” option and a separate “Random clock” button—one is for following the newest work, while the other is for exploring the archive. Sorting the tags alphabetically or grouping them by type would make browsing easier too.
The project could benefit from one clear navigation structure instead of several overlapping ones. I’d establish a consistent direction between the homepage, archive, and individual clock pages, then use a simple primary path such as Home → Archive → Clock. Previous and next controls can stay on the clock page, while tags and thematic collections can act as secondary ways to explore. If the homepage and list view feel redundant, combining them into one archive with featured sections might reduce the confusion.
I’ve been feeling that disconnect too—the homepage and individual pages currently seem to flow in opposite directions, and home and list may be doing nearly the same job.
Tags are useful for broad discovery, but curated thematic collections could still be worthwhile. A tag tells people that an item belongs to a category, while a collection can present a deliberate sequence with an introduction and a more focused layout. You could keep tags for flexible filtering and add a small collections area for especially meaningful groups like planets or simple machines.
A random button would be a fun addition on its own. With almost 500 entries, it turns the archive into something people can casually explore instead of requiring them to know exactly where to start.
The abstract designs are interesting, but if most visitors can’t tell what time they show, they may stop treating them as clocks and see them only as visual experiments. You don’t necessarily have to make every design conventional, but consider adding a readable time label, a brief explanation, or occasional designs with clearer hands and numbers. That would preserve the artistic concept while giving viewers an easy way into the project.
That makes sense. I’m especially interested in separating the newest entry from random exploration, since they serve completely different purposes.