Visual Style Guide
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- Thom's Thoughts on Navigation
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- On Navigation (You are here)
- Custom Table Styles
- Custom Styled RSS Generator
Thom's Thoughts on Navigation
Principle Aims of Navigation
Devise meaningful categories that are mutually exclusive
In terms of tab and box labeling, see if you can isolate 'trigger words'. These are essential words that increase or create information scent for the user. Information scent – a term coined by noted usability guru Jared Spool - refers to how well links and navigation match a visitor's information need and how well they predict the content presented at a link's destination. Trigger words are navigation labels and text that match the visitor's need on your guide.
Reveal the "Aboutness" of the guide
Effective navigation also shows the "aboutness" of a guide. Whether you are using tabs or a table of contents model, your choice of labeling should advertise clearly (and as concisely as possible) what content can be found there.
Promote ease of use and consistency
Navigation design is about creating patterns that people get accustomed to. Strive to create a consistent user experience especially if you are creating a series of guides that you suspect will be used by the same users. Where possible, give cues of what will happen when a user clicks on a given link and then help reorient them when they arrive at the new destination.
Assessing your Navigation
Some questions to ask yourself regarding the navigation experience of your LibGuides:
- Is the navigation consistent?
- Are the tab and box labels meaningful AND mutually exclusive?
- Is it easy to learn how your guides work or are you putting up accidental barriers?
- Is your navigation predictable?
- Does your navigation provide feedback to the user?
- When the user arrives at a new tab, is it clear where they are and how they got there?
- Are the box labels in your guide succinct?
- Do they promote scanning?
