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I noticed that users don’t always explore hamburger icon intuitively, despite the long-standing use of that in mobile design. While the menu wasn’t entirely ignored, some participants didn’t realize it could help them find the information they were seeking. This suggests a disconnect between the feature’s presence and its perceived usefulness.
This reminded me of a piece by Julie Zhuo, who compared the hamburger menu to a roof deck in her old apartment — technically accessible but rarely used. As she put it, “the level of intentionality needed was similar to visiting the neighborhood store or park.” In other words, people use the hamburger menu when they know exactly what they’re looking for, but it doesn’t occur to them as a first option.
Designers are drawn to minimalism, and the hamburger menu supports that by tucking away multiple navigation options behind a single icon. It’s clean and elegant — but at the cost of accessibility. As Zhuo aptly states: “If you want something to be seen and used, don’t make people look for it. Put it where they’re already looking.”
