Web Site Navigation

1. Web Site Navigation The core of a web site Building a User Friendly Web Site November 2002

2. “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

3. 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

4. Web Site Navigation What is it? Why should you care?

5. 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

6. People Are Emotional! We do not like: Feeling stupid Being lost Getting overwhelmed And we have limitations …

7. Decisions • Logic  Decision • Analysis Paralysis • Satisfying + Sufficing = Satisficing

8. Locus of Attention One thing at a time

9. Locus of Attention - Habit

10. Locus of Attention - Habit

11. Locus of Attention – Multi Tasking

12. Web Usage – The Theory • Read text • Figure out organization • Weigh all options • Carefully decide on link

13. Web Usage - In reality • Quickly scan page • Looking for a halfway decent match • Click on first match • Use the Back button

14. The Web is still developing but… • The web is still growing • No longer a novelty • Users expect web sites that work

15. Creativity Can Interfere • Avoid Design Centric Sites • Avoid Latest and Greatest • Remember the End User! Uncommon Common Sense

16. Organization: Hierarchies • Hierarchies • Challenges • Schema • Labeling

17. Hierarchies • Organizational Charts • Family Trees • Books

18. Shallow Hierarchy

19. Deep Hierarchy

20. Hierarchy Guidelines • The X number of clicks rule • 7 plus or minus 2 • Mindless choices

21. Organization: Challenges • Ambiguity • Heterogeneity • Perspective • Internal Politics • Organizational Scheme & Structure

22. Organization: Schema • Exact • Alpha • Chrono • Geo • Ambiguous • Topical • Task oriented • Audience specific • Metaphor-driven

23. Organization: Labeling • Consistency • Web standards • Professional / Field standards • Metaphors

24. Navigation: Types • Hierarchical • Global • Local • Remote • Ad Hoc

25. Hierarchical Navigation

26. Global Navigation

27. Local Navigation

28. Remote Navigation

29. Ad Hoc Navigation

30. Browser features Search engines Drop Down Menus Navigation bars Bread crumb trial Embedded links Icons Frames Indexes (indices for some of you) .PDFs Navigation: Tools

31. Browser Features • Back and Forward Button • History Menu • Bookmarks • Color coded hyperlinks • Destination URL

32. Search Engines

33. Drop Down Menus

34. Navigation Bars • Top = Good • Bottom = Required • Left = Acceptable • Right = Avoid

35. Bread Crumb Trail

36. Embedded Links

37. Icons

38. Frames Just Say No

39. Indexes

40. .PDFs

41. Users with Disabilities The two themes of Accessible Web Design are… • Ensuring graceful transformation. • Making content understandable & navigable

42. Where to Start • Goals • Audience • Use Cases • Mapping/Hierarchies • Usability testing • Graphic designers At the Beginning …

43. Use Case

44. Site Mapping

45. 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?

46. Innovations in Navigation • Concept Mapping • ZUI

47. Concept Mapping • Institute for Human and Machine Cognition at the University of Florida • http://cmap.coginst.uwf.edu/index.html

48. Concept Mapping

49. Concept Mapping (STORM-LK)

50. 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. … Concept Mapping – METOC Detail