Web Navigation Order...Alpha or Importance?
October 28, 2005 8:29 AM Subscribe
Should navigation (and sub-navigation) on web sites be alphabetized or structured in order of importance?
I'm trying to create a proposal to restructure my organization's website. Should I suggest that we list subnavigation in order of importance or in alpha order (it is currently in alpha)?
**By sub-navigation, I am refering to a drop-down list that results when you click on a navigation heading.**
I'm trying to create a proposal to restructure my organization's website. Should I suggest that we list subnavigation in order of importance or in alpha order (it is currently in alpha)?
**By sub-navigation, I am refering to a drop-down list that results when you click on a navigation heading.**
By likelihood of use, actually.
For example, think of a bank:
- Account Maintenance
- Mortgage Lending
- Retirement Planning
- Small Business Solutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Us
"Account Maintenance" would be most beneficial to your user, while the next three could fall in various orders. FAQs and Contact pages are typically on the bottom.
Only list alphabetically if all parts of the list have equivalent use. This is more common in sub-navigation under categories.
- Dog Grooming Tips
-- Bulldogs
-- German Shepherds
-- Mastiffs
-- Poodles
-- Terriers
Under the "Dog Grooming Tips" category, it is entirely up to the user's interest to choose what type of dog and so you'd offer the choices alphabetically.
posted by grabbingsand at 8:44 AM on October 28, 2005
For example, think of a bank:
- Account Maintenance
- Mortgage Lending
- Retirement Planning
- Small Business Solutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Us
"Account Maintenance" would be most beneficial to your user, while the next three could fall in various orders. FAQs and Contact pages are typically on the bottom.
Only list alphabetically if all parts of the list have equivalent use. This is more common in sub-navigation under categories.
- Dog Grooming Tips
-- Bulldogs
-- German Shepherds
-- Mastiffs
-- Poodles
-- Terriers
Under the "Dog Grooming Tips" category, it is entirely up to the user's interest to choose what type of dog and so you'd offer the choices alphabetically.
posted by grabbingsand at 8:44 AM on October 28, 2005
Response by poster: It ranges from 4 - 7 sub-categories under each headings.
posted by AmericnJewl at 8:45 AM on October 28, 2005
posted by AmericnJewl at 8:45 AM on October 28, 2005
Reading the headline of the question I thought, oh definitely alpha, but upon reading grabbingsand's excellent answer I agree with him completely.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:48 AM on October 28, 2005
posted by Rock Steady at 8:48 AM on October 28, 2005
I'm trying to create a proposal to restructure my organization's website. Should I suggest that we list subnavigation in order of importance or in alpha order (it is currently in alpha)?
Several people have suggested looking at this from a customer/user perspective; even better is actually getting non-experts (can be customers, or the mail clerk, or whatever) to try to accomplish certain common things (whatever those are), and to watch. That way, you can try several different layouts.
Put differently: should the proposal be to do user testing of the website, in order to identify improvements?
posted by WestCoaster at 1:51 PM on October 28, 2005
Several people have suggested looking at this from a customer/user perspective; even better is actually getting non-experts (can be customers, or the mail clerk, or whatever) to try to accomplish certain common things (whatever those are), and to watch. That way, you can try several different layouts.
Put differently: should the proposal be to do user testing of the website, in order to identify improvements?
posted by WestCoaster at 1:51 PM on October 28, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
Handful of categories : by importance.
Long list of items : alphabetically.
Just put yourself in the seat of the user, and see what works for you.
posted by XiBe at 8:37 AM on October 28, 2005