Web Site Navigation
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Transcript of Web Site Navigation
Web Site Navigation
November 2002
The core of a web site
Building a User Friendly Web Site
“Just wait, Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.”
–Hansel and Gretel
Quick Overview
• What is Web Site Navigation?
• It’s about the End User
• Organizing a Web Site
• Navigation Techniques
• What’s New: Navigation Innovation
• Resources
Web Site Navigation
What is it?
Why should you care?
It’s about the End User
• Web sites are used by people
People are Emotional
People have innate traits
• Web is still evolving but…
• Creativity can interfere with usability
People Are Emotional!
We do not like:
Feeling stupid
Being lost
Getting overwhelmed
And we have limitations …
Decisions
• Logic Decision• Analysis Paralysis• Satisfying + Sufficing =
Satisficing
Locus of Attention
One thing at a time
Locus of Attention - Habit
Locus of Attention - Habit
Locus of Attention – Multi Tasking
Web Usage – The Theory
• Read text• Figure out
organization• Weigh all options• Carefully decide on
link
Web Usage - In reality
• Quickly scan page• Looking for a
halfway decent match
• Click on first match• Use the Back button
The Web is still developing but…
• The web is still growing• No longer a novelty• Users expect web sites that work
Creativity Can Interfere
• Avoid Design Centric Sites• Avoid Latest and Greatest• Remember the End User!
Uncommon Common Sense
Organization: Hierarchies
• Hierarchies• Challenges• Schema• Labeling
Hierarchies
• Organizational Charts• Family Trees• Books
Shallow Hierarchy
Deep Hierarchy
Hierarchy Guidelines
• The X number of clicks rule• 7 plus or minus 2• Mindless choices
Organization: Challenges
• Ambiguity• Heterogeneity• Perspective• Internal Politics• Organizational Scheme & Structure
Organization: Schema
Exact– Alpha– Chrono– Geo
Ambiguous
– Topical
– Task oriented
– Audience specific
– Metaphor-driven
Organization: Labeling
• Consistency • Web standards• Professional / Field
standards• Metaphors
Navigation: Types
HierarchicalGlobalLocalRemoteAd Hoc
Hierarchical Navigation
Global Navigation
Local Navigation
Remote Navigation
Ad Hoc Navigation
Navigation: Tools
• Browser features• Search engines• Drop Down Menus• Navigation bars• Bread crumb trial
• Embedded links• Icons• Frames• Indexes (indices for some
of you)
• .PDFs
Browser Features
• Back and Forward Button• History Menu• Bookmarks• Color coded hyperlinks• Destination URL
Search Engines
Drop Down Menus
Navigation Bars
• Top = Good• Bottom = Required• Left = Acceptable• Right = Avoid
Bread Crumb Trail
You are here: Home> Hobbies> Book Collecting> Welcome
Embedded Links
Icons
Frames
Just Say No
Indexes
.PDFs
Users with Disabilities
The two themes of Accessible Web Design are…
1. Ensuring graceful transformation.
2. Making content understandable & navigable
Where to Start
• Goals• Audience• Use Cases• Mapping/Hierarchies• Usability testing• Graphic designers
At the Beginning …
Use Case
Site Mapping
Usability Testing
The Trunk Test• What site is this?• What page am I on?• What are the major sections of this site?• What are my options on this level?• Where am I in the scheme of things• How can I search?
Innovations in Navigation
• Concept Mapping
• ZUI
Concept Mapping
• Institute for Human and Machine Cognition at the University of Florida
• http://cmap.coginst.uwf.edu/index.html
Concept Mapping
Concept Mapping (STORM-LK)
Concept Mapping – METOC Detail
COMMAND HISTORY of the NASP METOC
The “Aerological” Office at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, is almost as old as naval aviation itself. It was the first weather office established to support naval aviation. The requirement for an Aerological Unit was identified on 8 May 1917 when a request was made to the Commandant of the Pensacola Naval Station to employ a competent civilian to keep records of air conditions and other meteorological phenomena at NAS Pensacola. The necessity for a Meteorological Unit was further recognized when wind directions and velocities aloft to altitudes of approximately 1,500 feet were needed in connection with the dirigible, free balloon, and kite balloon …
METOC Experts who helped build STORM-LK
Commander Dan Soper is Commander of the NASP METOC. He has served as Combat Officer and Weapons Officer in addition to his service in aerography. As Ocean Services Officer at Pearl Harbor and Fleet Oceanographer for the Second Fleet, he was responsible for all oceanographic products. At Pearl he also prepared the "Local Forecaster's Handbook." He also served as Instructor in Environmental Support for the Atlantic Tactical and Navy Doctrine School, as Executive Officer at the Naval Ice Center, and as amember of the Staff of the OCeanographer of the Navy. His diverse experience amounts to nearly 14,500 hours at weather forecasting and oceanography-related tasks.
…
Zooming User Interfaces
• PAD++• Developed at University of Maryland• www.cs.umd.edu/pad++
Zooming User Interfaces
Zooming User Interfaces
Zooming User Interfaces
Resources
• Don’t Make Me Think! – Steve Krug
• Information Architecture for the World Wide Web - Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Moreville
• Designing Web Usability – Jakob Nielsen
• The Human Interface – Jef Raskin
More Resources
• UseIt.com – Jakob Nielsen• WebMonkey.com• W3C.org• HumanFactors.com
Conclusion –
Don’t Make Them Think!
People want to know:
Where am I?
Where have I been?
Where can I go?
Thank you!
Questions?
Comments?
Contact Information
Modus:web, inc.1940 Eleanor AveSt. Paul, MN 55116612.710.2704www.moduswc.com
Andrea [email protected]