1. In designing a Web Site Navigation scheme there are two things to take in consideration:

   ▪ Never assume that users know as much about a site as the site designers do.

   ▪ Any page can be an entry point into the website.

2. Web site navigational design includes:

   ▪ Web site organization

   Divide content into logical fragments, units or chunks.

   Establish a hierarchy of generality or importance.

   ▪ Components of a Web Navigation System

   To move between Web site information fragments necessitates the creation of navigation links.

   General link guidelines are:

   • Sensible

   • Available

• Obvious and Distinctive

• Consistent

• Textual

• Provide multiple navigation paths

1. Browser Command Buttons

   Hide the split between the browser and the Web site application by including navigational controls within the application.

2. Web Site Navigation Bars

   ▪ Provide a global navigation bar at the top of each page.

   ▪ Provide a local category or typical links navigation bar on the left side of a page.

3. Textual Phrases

   Provide a mix of textual phrase links:

   • In explicit menus.

• Embedded within page text.

1. Graphical Images or Icons

   Graphical images or icons may appear in an array in the form of a navigation bar or be individually located at relevant points in a page.

2. Command Buttons

   Command buttons may appear in an array in the form of a navigation bar or be individually located at relevant points in a page.

Selection of Window: Window Characteristics

▪ A name or title, allowing it to be identified.

▪ A size in height and width (which can vary).

▪ A state, accessible or active or not accessible.

▪ Visibility – the portion can be seen.

▪ A location, relative to the display boundary.

▪ Presentation – its arrangement with respect to other windows.

▪ Management capabilities.

▪ Highlighting.

▪ The function, task or application to which it is dedicated.

1. Attraction of Windows

▪ Presentation of Different Levels of Information.

▪ Presentation of Multiple Kinds of Information.

▪ Sequential Presentation of Levels or Kinds of Information.

▪ Access to Different Sources of Information.

▪ Combining Multiple Sources of Information.

▪ Performing More Than One Task.

▪ Reminding.

▪ Monitoring.

▪ Multiple Representations of the Same Task.

1. Constraints in Window System Design

▪ Historical Considerations

▪ Hardware Limitations

▪ Human Limitations

1. Window Management

▪ Single-Document Interface

It’s a single primary window with a set of secondary windows.

● Multiple-Document Interface

It’s a technique for managing a set of windows where documents are opened into windows.

Contains:

• A single primary window called the parent.

• A set of related document or child windows, each also essentially a primary window.

1. Organizing Window Functions

▪ Window Organization – organize windows to support user tasks.

▪ Number of Windows – minimize the number of windows needed to accomplish an objective.

1. Window Operations

i. Active window

▪ A window should be made active with as few steps as possible.

▪ Visually differentiate the active window from other windows.

ii. Opening a window

▪ Provide an iconic representation or textual list of available windows.

▪ If more than one object is selected and opened, display each object in a separate window. Designate the last window selected as the active window.

iii. Sizing windows

▪ Provide large-enough windows to present all relevant and expected information for the task.

iv. Window placement

▪ Position the window so it is entirely visible.

v. Window separation

▪ Crisply, clearly and pleasingly demarcate a window from the background of the screen on which it appears.

vi. Moving a window

▪ Permit the user to change the position of all windows.

vii. Resizing a window

▪ Permit the user to change the size of primary windows