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Navigation Systems
- Global navigation
5 to 7 links representing the most important areas of the site
Global Navigation sits at the top and remains consistent throughout
the site.
- Local navigation
Contains subpages
Nav rail must have a colored bkg to set it aside from content.
- "Yellow Fever" style
The left-hand justified navigation rail was introduced by CNET
in 96.
Forces a mouse from the scroll side and user stays a moment
longer.
Emphasizes the links.
- Right hand justified
Conducive to speed and ease of use.
Content is easier to view.
- Ad hoc links
Ad-hoc’s are links in the middle of text.
Limit your use of ad-hoc linkage.
If possible put them at the end of the paragraph like footnotes
instead.
- Navigation aids
Table of contents
Index
Site map
A guided tour
Searching capabilities (always on sites of over 100 pages)
Bibliography
Appendices
Overviews
Summaries
- Image Map navigation
it’s not obvious where to click
it’s not obvious what has already been clicked
They are not extensible.
hard to modify on a regular basis.
you should include a text link list anyway
no navigation at all if the images are turned off
no navigation at all if a text based browser visits
search engine bots need text to spider
- Navigation Tabs
Tabs are for switching between alternate views of the same
thing.
I.e..
Description | Overview | History | Statistics | photos
- Breadcrumb navigation
Breadcrumb navigation is used on structures that get deep.
It only works for sites with hierarchical information.
It allows one to climb a tree quickly
Lets a user know where they are
Example:
home > cartoons > scooby-doo > guest appearances
: > / and arrows are all equally good.
Do not use yet another symbol.
The vertical bar | is reserved for alternative choices.
- Footer navigation
Global Links
email link
If there is a good reason add any of these:
Copyright info
Date the page was created
Date the page was modified
Company slogan
Physical address
Telephone Number
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nav systems
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