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the <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion <strong>in</strong> this presentation to ga<strong>in</strong> a perspective that will help you make this adaptation. I am not offer<strong>in</strong>g an<br />

automated tool to do this for you; you will have to th<strong>in</strong>k and plan and test and ref<strong>in</strong>e, but the result will be valuable to<br />

your users.<br />

Many cues that have evolved with pr<strong>in</strong>t media can be adapted to hypertext documents: title, head<strong>in</strong>g, table of contents,<br />

<strong>in</strong>dex, glossary, diagram, and map. The challenge is to adapt them well, <strong>in</strong> a way that will be as <strong>in</strong>tuitive as possible to<br />

your users.<br />

Before proceed<strong>in</strong>g, please recognize that effective organization of the <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion <strong>in</strong> the documents and of the<br />

documents <strong>in</strong> the web site is more important than the navigation tools. Just as good documentation cannot "save" a<br />

poorly designed and implemented product, good navigation tools cannot save a disorganized web site!<br />

The site analysis I will recommend may help you improve the organization of your web site, but the purpose of this<br />

paper is to help you design good navigation tools. So here are two important characteristics of effective navigation tools.<br />

Navigation Tools Must Be Predictable<br />

In this paper, I assume that your web site exists to provide valuable <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion to your users. Navigation tools exist to<br />

help users f<strong>in</strong>d needed <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion and to keep them from becom<strong>in</strong>g confused or disoriented while visit<strong>in</strong>g your web<br />

site. Well-designed navigation tools are predictable: after a very small amount of experience with the tools, your users<br />

should understand how each tool will behave every time they use it. Each navigation tool must be consistent <strong>in</strong> how it is<br />

used and the result it produces, or it could confuse your users <strong>in</strong>stead of help<strong>in</strong>g them.<br />

Multiple Navigation Tools Should Be Offered<br />

Different people have different perceptual styles, and you can satisfy their differ<strong>in</strong>g needs by offer<strong>in</strong>g them multiple<br />

ways to access your <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion. Also, your users will have different levels of skill and experience, so their preferences<br />

for us<strong>in</strong>g your navigation tools will vary. You must first consider the size, content, and purpose of your web site to<br />

decide which navigation tools are appropriate. If your web site is large enough to benefit from any navigation tools, then<br />

you will help your users by provid<strong>in</strong>g more than one type.<br />

Develop a Model of Your Web Site's Organization<br />

This is the critical part of the work: you must develop a simplified but reveal<strong>in</strong>g model of the <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion <strong>in</strong> your web<br />

site, then you can prepare navigation tools that clarify its organization. (Please recall that I def<strong>in</strong>e a web site as a<br />

collection of related documents.)<br />

An <strong>in</strong>terconnected web of documents can express <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion and ideas with new depth and richness, but it also has the<br />

potential to confuse and <strong>in</strong>timidate users. An <strong>in</strong>timidated user will not receive full value from your site. Well-designed<br />

navigation tools will highlight your site's benefits to users and help them access the <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion they need.<br />

The follow<strong>in</strong>g steps are the most difficult part of the process. I recommend that you assemble a team of <strong>in</strong>terested<br />

people with diverse viewpo<strong>in</strong>ts to participate <strong>in</strong> this process and help keep your creativity and <strong>in</strong>sight fresh. Teamwork<br />

can lead to conflict, but conflict can also generate the fire that forges useful new ideas.<br />

Identify a S<strong>in</strong>gle Sequence for Your Documents<br />

Your first attempt to simplify your web site should be to def<strong>in</strong>e a l<strong>in</strong>ear sequence for every document <strong>in</strong> it. Review the<br />

organiz<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>in</strong>ciples you had <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d when you created the site, and th<strong>in</strong>k about how you would arrange a table of<br />

contents for it. If you didn't create your site, or if it evolved <strong>in</strong> some less-than-logical fashion, then analyze the files <strong>in</strong><br />

your site and determ<strong>in</strong>e what organiz<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>in</strong>ciples can improve its usefulness to its users. Determ<strong>in</strong>e which documents<br />

provide overview <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion, which provide support<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion, and which provide results or conclud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion. Then make numerous attempts to establish a sequence of documents with<strong>in</strong> each of those three groups.<br />

Examples of sequential structures that go beyond a pla<strong>in</strong> sequence <strong>in</strong>clude sequences with alternate paths, side notes,<br />

shortcuts, backtrack<strong>in</strong>g, and loops.

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