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In this video, we learn about why navigation systems are important for you and your users.
New Terms:
- Global navigation - menu that shows the main sections of a website
- Local navigation - sub-menu that shows the main links within a section of a website
- Breadcrumbs - links that show where the current page is located with the sections or levels of the website
- Contextual links - links within the text in the body of a page
Further Reading:
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So far we've talked about
organization structures and
0:00
schemes, as well as labeling systems.
0:03
The next IA principle
is navigation systems.
0:05
Menus are a big part of establishing
a system of navigation for your users.
0:09
But to be clear, navigation refers to all
the systems you put in place on a website
0:14
or app to help people navigate, to help
them get around from place to place.
0:19
And it's more than just showing people
what they could do by putting up a menu.
0:25
It's also about giving them options in
the right place and at the right time,
0:29
so they can move around quickly and
easily and find what they need.
0:34
So let's think about all the different
ways you can navigate a website.
0:39
The first type of navigation
many people look for and
0:44
use is a global navigation menu.
0:47
This shows you the big sections of
a site and helps you get a sense
0:50
of the entire structure and organization,
so you know what's there and where to go.
0:54
These menus may be simple ones or
contain multiple options,
1:00
like pull-down menus with lots
of choices within each section.
1:04
Then you've got local menus,
1:08
which are the sub-menus you might
see when you click into a section.
1:10
The global menu is still there, but
1:15
the local menu shows you how information
within a single section is structured.
1:17
You might also see breadcrumb links.
1:22
These links show you level by level where
you are within the structure of a website,
1:24
so you don't get lost.
1:30
And also, so
you can discover related content.
1:31
You might also have contextual links,
which are links within the text on a page.
1:35
These links might appear within
the context of descriptions,
1:40
directions and other content.
1:44
So if you need more info on
whatever you're reading about,
1:46
you can click and get it.
1:50
And you might also see related links,
1:52
which are usually displayed automatically
based on the content you're looking at.
1:55
So on some pages you'll see sections
literally called related links.
1:59
Or on retail sites they could be
a customers also viewed section.
2:04
These links help you find similar
content and keep you on the site.
2:10
So if you've seen these types
of navigation systems before,
2:14
the benefits shouldn't surprise you.
2:18
They establish website structure and
scope, so
2:20
users know what's on the site and
what they can do there.
2:23
They provide pathways and visual cues to
help users figure out which way to go.
2:28
This is especially helpful when new users
arrive, so they can get started easily.
2:33
Local menus provide extra flexibility.
2:39
You can show these menus when you need to,
and
2:42
you don't have to clog up a global
navigation menu with lots of extra links.
2:45
Related links are great too,
2:50
because they expose more content
to users once they've arrived.
2:52
YouTube does this amazingly, showing
you lists of related videos to keep you
2:56
watching Minecraft gameplay
until 3 in the morning.
3:00
But one of the big benefits of using
navigation systems is that you can use
3:04
them to guide users down certain
pathways you want them to follow.
3:08
Remember, that while
user goals are important,
3:12
your goals are equally
vital to keep in mind.
3:15
So if it's important to get people to,
say, register on a site,
3:20
or buy something,
providing navigation links and
3:24
pathways to those important
functions should be a priority.
3:28
Instead of burying that content or
3:32
those functions, you make them a prominent
page of your navigation systems.
3:34
So you might see now how you
could combine these ideas about
3:40
navigation with our previous ones on
organization, structures and labeling.
3:44
For example, when you figure out
how you wanna divide up content,
3:48
many times you'll build navigation
menus that mirror that structure.
3:52
We also mentioned before that labels
are like signals for users to follow.
3:57
And so if that's the case,
4:02
your navigation would be the paths
they take based on those signals.
4:03
So, ultimately,
4:09
your goal with navigation systems is to
set up the right paths for your users.
4:11
Ones that lead to essential groupings
of content, website or app functions,
4:16
and spots where users will complete
tasks that satisfy your goals.
4:21
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