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Navigation System Providing an intuitive, easy to use navigation system is probably the second most important thing after load time, according to Chaplin. A system must load quickly for today’s users. Time is limited and everyone wants fast food / fast sites. So once the site loads quickly a user wants to be able to navigate through the site with minimal effort. Navigation can be done primarily through two venues. The first is text links. These are easy to understand and load fast. However, they are limited in what they communicate as only one to three words should be used. And text link have no bells or whistles to draw ones attention, and flashy can be a selling point with today’s youth. Aside from text links there are typically two types of graphic links. Image maps with hot spots and graphic buttons. Image maps can be made relatively easily and a powerful communication tool. However if a user has his graphics turned off the image map is useless according to Chaplin. Graphic buttons are also catchy like image maps but are more flexible. Additionally, spend time at other sites to see what navigational system they use. Are they using tables to help the user find their information more easily? Where are the displays aligned? By viewing other sites a Web Master can get a feel for how a page layout works or doesn’t work. Is a table a viable mode for your site? Are the buttons easy to use? Does the image map clearly mark where the user will end up? All of these devices need to be considered when developing the navigation system for ones site. The more a Web Master researches other web site the better his or her site will be. Plan and research are paramount.
QUESTION: What is the purpose of a navigation system?
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