Lost in Space: Clear navigation will stop your site's visitors getting lost

Written by Nigel Gordijk


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3. How do I go about doing it?

Obscurely worded links only confuse visitors. Make it absolutely clear and you won't go wrong.

On this site, instead of “About Me” I could have used “My Curriculum Vitae”, but this is meaningless in some countries (this isrepparttar World Wide Web, after all). Likewise, “My Résumé” would make sense in North America, but not many other places.

Don't be afraid to make it obvious. Looking for “Electrical Goods”? Followrepparttar 118336 store signs. Want to buy “Gladiator”? Click on “Videos and DVDs”.

Using another “real world” analogy, think of a site’s design as its packaging. Sitting onrepparttar 118337 supermarket shelf,repparttar 118338 label tells you whatrepparttar 118339 package contains and explains whatrepparttar 118340 contents can be used for. Like decent navigation, it may even tell you how to open it to get to its contents.

Technology is conspiring against you; slow modems, old computers, dodgy 'phone connections - these all add torepparttar 118341 slow download of a Web page. Don't compound your audience's frustration by making your site's content difficult to access.

Nigel Gordijk - based in Brighton, England - is an accomplished, independent Web consultant with over 16 years' design industry experience. His Web site designs are noted for their ability to engage users and their ease of use. His client list includes BP International Ltd, Thomson Holidays, Honda, Ladbrokes and No 10 Downing Street.


Get to Know People through Websites

Written by Jesse S. Somer


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We now haverepparttar opportunity to realize who each of us are, not just as names and faces, but as human beings with a soul or a spirit with dreams, loves, and aspirations. Another point to make as an example to be found on Xavier’s (enjoying this intimate first-name referral) site isrepparttar 118335 one about meeting other people through someone else’s connections. The site constructors (with Xavier’s approval) have recently added a section where anyone can contribute essays relating to important issues about humanity. This gives added insight into what type of person Xavier is (socially conscious), as well as possible links torepparttar 118336 writers ofrepparttar 118337 essays. E.g. Abigail Rose,repparttar 118338 first contributor who wrote an essay aboutrepparttar 118339 current state of politics and public beliefs inrepparttar 118340 U.S.A.

There is also a whole section entitled, ‘Inspiration, friends, art’ which exemplifies this whole idea of forming a community through linking with others. Here Mr. Rudd (still have to be respectfully formal on occasion) has a list with photos of artworks and instruments from people he has met who have helped him, who he’s played with, or who he’s interested in. All of them are people he knows personally and in putting them on his site we can get to know them as well, by simply reading about them or by going via links to their own web sites which of course will produce a much more in-depth identity to connect with.

Add photo galleries, recorded interviews, biographies, lyrics etc. and we can get a really good view into this one person’s world. You’re onrepparttar 118341 Net, or you want to be; why don’t you take it torepparttar 118342 limit, sharing yourself and your friends withrepparttar 118343 world? You never know how many new friends or comrades you’ll make inrepparttar 118344 process.

Jesse S. Somer M6.Net Jesse S. Somer can see the possibility in humanity coming to realize each other as individuals again via the new Internet medium. Can you?


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