Interactivity - Navigation

Frustrated users are not a recipe for success. One of the more overlooked aspects of Web site design is site navigation. Either poorly labeled categories or icons that are not readily identifiable often lead to user confusion. Just as important is the clear presentation of areas or categories of the Web site. Too often categories are not well thought out, overlap, or are repetitive. This can result in long lists of links and user frustration.

To aid in accomplishing clear navigation, here are some tips:

• Before beginning coding, draw an navigational hierarchy for the Web site. How do the pages link? To what category will they belong?
• Too create strong categories, look at the purpose of your Web site, ask friends/potential users to explain what they are looking for. Use this to construct your categories.
• Keep the number of categories to a minimum. Remember quality is more important than quantity. These will be your top-navigation and will appear on every page.
• Clearly name your categories.
• Look at your categories and break them into sub-categories. These will be your sub-navigation. These links will only appear on pages belonging to their top-navigation.
• Keep placement of navigation consistent (up high but below the banner).
• Add a Home link.

Today’s Objectives:

• Differentiate between top-navigation and sub-navigation
• Create a Flash button

Classwork: Construct pages to link with navigation and build a Flash button (Lesson 5 - Assignment 1).

Prep Questions:

• Define rollover.
• Explain top and sub-navigation.
• Can one generally assume that the Flash player plug-in is installed on most browsers?

Here are some links to help you with creating effective navigation:

• Design Effective Navigation in 10 Steps: http://www.sitepoint.com/article/navigation-10-steps/
• Navigation and Symbolism: http://www.wpdfd.com/issues/24/navigation/
• 25 Examples of Creative Navigation: http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/galleries/creative-navigation/
  

Note: Lesson 5 quiz is Wednesday the 28th.