|
Design Tip:
Show Your Navigation Tree
by Tom Dahm,
Chief Operations Officer,
NetMechanic, Inc.
If you have a large Web site, then you've probably organized it into a tree structure. You've probably also added search capability to the site. Unfortunately, these two features can be enemies of each other.
Getting lost within a Web site is a common complaint from Internet users. Visitors often come across a useful page while browsing, and then forget where to find it by their next visit to the site. If the structure of the Web site isn't clearly defined, finding a page again can be an impossible chore.
To get around this problem, Webmasters organize their sites into some sort of logical navigation system. That structure often takes the form of a tree, with tree branches defining different subjects and categories. Webmasters spend a lot of time defining these tree structures to make sure they work.
| |
|
| |
|
| |
In some ways a search engine is a barrier to navigation. |
| |
|
But, after spending a lot of time defining this structure, Webmasters promptly short-circuit it by providing search capability.
Search is a handy for any big site, but in some ways it's the enemy of good navigation. Yes, it helps visitors find information the first time, but it gives them precious little help in finding it again. Search engines lead people to pages without showing them their context within the rest of the site. If a visitor finds a page through a search, finding it again means having to remember exactly what search query they entered the first time around. That's not an easy thing to do.
For that reason, it's a good idea to mark each of your pages to show where it lies in your site's navigation system. If your site is organized as a tree, then each page should show the path back to the home page.
For example, suppose your page gives installation instructions for a software package. You might label it with this navigation mark:
Home / Software / User's Manual / Install
|
Put this navigation label near the top or bottom of your page for easy reference.
If visitors navigate your site by drilling down categories, this type of navigation mark is useful. If visitors navigate your site using a search engine, it's absolutely essential. The navigation mark shows the page's location within the site. So visitors who jump to the page from a list of search results have an idea where it lies within the overall structure. That gives them a chance to find it again later.
|
