Navigation - Research

Navigation poses competing interests.

Simple navigation

e.g. website with 3 or 4 page buttons across top of page helps direct new users to the key information
Advantage: This increase dramatically the chance that a user who is new to the site will click on the pages that you would like them to see
Disadvantage: There is a chance the users is unable to find what they are looking for

Complex navigation

E.g. website with many tabs across the top of screen, or multiple page buttons with dropdown lists.
Advantage: user in theory could access everything
Disadvantage: user is more likely to not click on the key pages of the site, may have trouble finding what they are looking for.

Solution

Place a simple navigation across the top of the website - to direct users to the key pages
Place a mega-menu in the footer of the website.

Mega Menus in Footers have become increasingly common on major websites

The use of mega-menus from top nav, is preferred over drop-down menus

Footers

Of navigation structures from major websites

Projects