Signposts: Helping users navigate content

Navigating unfamiliar information on the web requires aids.

These aids don’t have an agenda or bias the way advertising does. Instead, navigational aids help people find the right path based on their interests.

Signposts are one type of navigational aid. They provide the information people need to make their own decisions while searching and surfing the web.

Should a designer worry about a website losing readers? Many websites compete for attention by luring audiences with vibrant illustrations, catchy typography and rich user interfaces.

In addition to being attractive, other websites strive to be useful. The goal of usability isn’t to get attention, but to get repeat visits. Advertising loses readers, in the sense that it directs them to other websites, whereas usability is about making sure they don’t get lost.

Read my article about about navigation at Webdesigner Depot.