|
Clear navigation (or the lack of it)
can make or break a site. Online readers need to understand
where they are and how to get to where they want to
be. While online navigation is a new experience for
most users, it still relies on the expectations visitors
already have from other mediums — both print
mediums such as books and magazines and the “places”
that you may try to duplicate.
- Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Tables
of contents and indices work on screen just as well
as they do on paper. People understand these conventions,
so they find them easy to use.
- Using a “place” scenario also helps
because people understand traveling from room to
room — and that some rooms can only be accessed
by going through other rooms.
- If you do choose a place metaphor, then the logic
behind the facade has to be made clear so
users can navigate with ease. Just as you try to
figure out the traffic pattern of a building, you
should do the same for a site. You don’t want
your user to constantly have to backtrack to the
lobby or entry if it would be more convenient for
them to be able to jump from one room to another.
- Always include a link to home — on every
single page. This way, if users do get confused,
or just want to start over from the top, they’re
only one click away. Many users don’t think
to use the “back” button on their browser,
so giving them an easy way to get to the top is
important.
- Finally, every page on your site should have a
header, footer, or “sidebar” that tells
the reader where they are in cyberspace —
specifically, what site they’re visiting and
where they are within that site.
back to web sense
|
