Importance of Website Architecture & Navigation

Excerpt from Webplicity - The Critical Guide to Successful Web Strategies by Bill Young

The City of Denver is currently finishing the construction of a new convention center and convention hotel. The construction has taken place over the last year. Each day people see new levels completed, new equipment put in place, and different personnel with different roles. By understanding how a large building is constructed, you’ll have a better feel for how a complex Web project is built.

Architecture & Navigation
You may be asking yourself how erecting a building relates to a Web project. The answer may be more than you realize. The key is your project’s architecture and navigation. Instead of pouring concrete, moving heavy objects in place, putting up walls, and installing electrical and mechanical systems, you’re implementing a blue print for success on the Web. It is amazing how architects create blue prints that show construction superintendents and foremen all the right parts, to fit at all the right times, in all the right places. There is a remarkable synergy between buildings and Web sites, and the same elements and processes between architecture and Web development. You can garner some great “tricks of the trade” from the architectural design process that can be applied to building a new Web project.

The challenge with most Web sites is that the developer(s) did not look at the site as an architect would look at a building. In fact, many sites would be condemned if they were buildings. If you could provide all the information on one page, navigation wouldn’t matter. The modern Web makes this almost impossible, so you need a quality navigational structure. Sites and tools that require you to click four, five, and six times into the site or have to click back six levels to get to the main page have completely missed the target. If you had a building that required you to figure out how to get to the fifth floor with no signs or elevators, your visitors would be in trouble. Many sites do this to the user and this hurts business.

The Difference Between Architecture & Navigation
In order to build a great site or Web project with simple navigation, you must understand all the areas we’ve covered in Phases 1 and 2, as well as understanding the difference between architecture and navigation. The two work hand in hand, but they are unique. Navigation on the Web is defined as the user moving from one page to another within the site; architecture is defined as the design of those pages (both static and dynamic) and the connection between them, to incorporate the navigation system. A good way to think of this difference involves that architecture is the arrangement and make-up of the content, while navigation involves the devices that move the user from one page to another.

Users Perception of Navigation
The user’s ability to navigate should be as straightforward and simple as possible. Keep in mind that users will not memorize your navigational structure. “At IBM and at Sun, we studied how people read on the Web. What we discovered is they don’t! They scan,” says Jakob Nielsen, a distinguished former Sun Microsystems engineer. The user is scanning the pages for key words, phrases, and headings. In fact, place as much detail as possible on each page because cross-referencing Web pages too difficult. Finally make it simple for the user to follow your information in a process – step A, step B, step C, etc.

Some navigation structures are involved, pushing users to certain sections of the site. The problem is that users won’t take the time to learn the logic of your navigation. Users want the right information to lead to the right call to action, right now. If the navigation is understated, the user will get lost; if the navigation is overwhelming they’ll simply leave (close the browser).

You must create the navigation with a logical process in mind because a high percentage of the visitors to your site will be repeat visitors. Once they’ve been to your site several times they’ll know where to find what they need. However, the navigation should be very obvious to the new visitor, as well. Simple navigation enables the new visitor to find what they need quickly.

Educating the User
No matter how visitors get to your site or Web application, chances are they are going to be unfamiliar with it. If they get to the site via a search engine then the process gets even more difficult. They may be dumped into a section other than that of your main page even a back page, that is not regularly. Therefore, it is important to make sure that main menu and key links are very apparent.

Here are some strategies to help your visitors navigate through your site when they come from a search engine.

Craft a clear message about the purpose of the site
Usability is your key
Define useful and simple navigation
Include critical information that the user expects
Develop beneficial content

Great Navigation
Great navigation is about simplicity and common sense. How do you create an environment that facilitates users to navigate your Web project correctly? One important element of navigation is called top-level navigation, and consists of the main page of the application or main page of the site. In addition, pay close attention to the main navigation structure or main menu choices. As most people know, this is either the menu across the top or down the left hand side of the page. Now, what makes sense to the user (review back to usability for more details)?

Architecture and navigation work hand in hand on the Web, assisting the user to get what they want. That is the real measure of successful architecture and navigation. Did the user find what he was searching for? Simple navigation works and typically costs less to build and maintain.