web design basics: tools, tips, & tricks
 
 

Navigation

Decide where you want your navigation scheme to go. This navigation scheme is vital to the usefulness of your site. If your user can’t figure out where to go or where they are, you’ve lost him.

The most common place for a navigation bar is along the left side of the page. As you can see from this site, however, I’ve chosen to place my navigation elements on the right side. The key is to be consistent in your page design: if your navigation elements are on the left side on your home page, keep them there on subsequent pages. Don’t make your user work too hard to figure out how to get from page to page within your site.

If you have enough content, you might want to have two navigation schemes, one on either side of the page and one along the top.

Use “breadcrumbs” (ala Hansel and Gretel) to let your user know which page she is on. In my navigation bar on the right, » navigation is an example of this breadcrumb. You will notice that there is no link attached to this breadcrumb, but it is simply there to show you which page you’re on.

tip

Don’t include an active link to “home” on the home page or an active link to a page from that particular page. This practice drives me CRAZY!
trick

Make sure your subsequent pages have a link to your home page. Add a text link to “home” or attach a link to your nameplate on the top of your page — or both.

 

  

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