Navigation and MenusTopicsNavigation BasicsSlide 4Navigational ElementsSlide 6Slide 7Slide 8Other Navigation TechniquesImplementation – OrganizationImplementation – GoalsSlide 12Implementation – On your siteUsabilitySlide 15Take away pointsReferencesNavigation and MenusWill MeurerTopics•Navigation Basics•Navigational Elements•Other Navigation Techniques•Implementation•Usability•Take Away Points•ReferencesNavigation BasicsWhat is a navigation system?A set of tools that enables users to get to the information they desireHow?By providing structure and contextNavigation BasicsNavigation…–Gives users the ability to get from one place to the next while understanding:•Where they are•Where they’ve been•Where they’re going–Helps users understand the content structureNavigational Elements•Browser-based–Linear - Back, Forward–Nonlinear – Browsing History, Favorites–Contextual – Status Bar, URL (e.g. www.news-site.com/entertainment/music)Status BarNavigational Elements•Site-based–Menus•Global•LocalGlobal and Local Menus,www.walmart.comGlobal and Local Menus, www.apple.comNavigational Elements•Site-based–Contextual•Bread crumbs•Inline links•Relational–intersite, see alsoBread crumbs, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000109.htmlInline and relational links,http://www.dictionary.comNavigational Elements–Supplemental•Sitemaps•Indexes•Guides•SearchIndex, http://www.cdc.gov/az.doSite Map, http://www.utexas.edu/sitemap/Other Navigation Techniques•Personalization–Automatically building menus and contextual navigation based on user characteristics•Customization–Enabling the user to alter the layout and navigational elements according to preference•Social filtering–Elements built based on all the site’s usersPersonalization, http://www.amazon.comCustomization, http://www.amazon.com(Rosenfield & Morville, 2002)Implementation – Organization•Hierarchical–Menu systems, like global and local–Sitemaps•Task-based–Guides•Alphabetical–Indexes•Chronological–News–History•Popularity-based–Social filteringAlphabetical, http://www.lib.utexas.edu/indexes(Vanduyne, Landay & Hong, 2003)Implementation – Goals•Navigation should support every type of viewing strategy–Undirected Viewing, Conditioned Viewing, Informal Search, Formal Search (Choo, Detlor, & Turnbull, 2000)•Navigation should be simple and transparent–Users don’t focus on the navigation and site structure (Nielsen, 2000)–Deep menus on each page are difficult to use•Fitt’s Law (Wikipedia, 2005)Implementation – Goals•Therefore, don’t do this:Looking for a hair dryer, I mean, uh, something less embarrassing, http://www.outpost.com.Implementation – On your site•Navigation decisions are based on:–Taxonomy–Site structure–Labels–Site type•Portal – Customization•Library catalog – IndexUsability•Menus–Use features such as:•Mouseovers, even just underlining text•Mouse pointer change, make it a hand•Showing current location–Image•Watch file size•Provide alt tags for accessibility–E.g. <img src=“world.jpg” alt=“World News” /> •Preload all graphics so mouseovers work instantly (preload code)–Flash•Basic rule: Do not use Flash menusUsability•Contextual elements–Stay away from “click here”.–Linking every word appears overly complex and lessens strength of the important links (Nielsen, 2000)Take away points•Navigation systems are what get users to the information they are seeking•Various types of navigational elements can be leveraged to provide a user with the best tools to get the information they want•Choosing elements and implementing navigation systems is an integral part of Information Architecture.•Effective navigation, like all parts of a successful product, must be built with usability in mind.References•Choo, C. W., Detlor, B., & Turnbull, D. (2000). Information Seeking on the Web: An Integrated Model of Browsing and Searching. Retrieved 12 Oct. 2005 from http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/%7Ei385e/readings/Information%20Seeking%20on%20the%20Web.htm•Nielsen, J. (2000). Is Navigation Useful? Retrieved 12 Oct. 2005 from http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000109.html.•Rosenfeld, L., & Morville, P. (2002). Information architecture for the World Wide Web. 2nd ed. Sebastopol, CA: Orsquo;Reilly•van Duyne, D. K., Landay, J. A., & Hong, J. I. (2003). The design of sites: Patterns, principles, and processes for crafting a customer-centered Web experience. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley•Fitt’s Law. Wikipedia, 2005. Retrieved 15 Oct. 2005 from
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