Before we design up any website, we have what is known as the “Creative Client Interview.” In this step, we discuss how the client wants their website to feel and the overall feeling of it. Oftentimes, after we have gone through everything, we come to the conclusion that the website needs to be clean and simple. Clean and simple is not a problem, and it has been known to be user-friendly.
We then begin discussing their page navigation, and this is where the problems occur. For some reason, it has occurred to me that people want as many pages listed in the main navigation as possible. Rather than just having a drop down that lists out different product categories or services, they want each one listed out so that their visitors can see it right away. We do know that every page is important, but so is the white space on the site.
So, to help everyone out, I have listed a few navigation pointers for those who are looking for a clean and simple design:
- Find what is most important – What needs to be focused on? Are there any pages that you can place into a sub navigation? Make a list of what pages should be in the main navigation.
- Keep the number between five and eight – It it is too large or too small, your site could look too bare or too cluttered.
- Clean up your structure – Make a list of your full structure, placing all pages that do not need to be in the main navigation into lower levels.
- Reevaluation your navigation – Give one final review to your new structure. Condense where necessary.
As always, these are not rules, but suggestions. The more simple your website is, the more user-friendly it is. Once you have finished creating your new navigation structure, contact us, and we’ll take care of the rest!
