Or “I can’t find my way home”

The common failing and hence distrust of the site map is due to general poor execution. To be effective, the site map should be a clear visualization of the site structure. The site map page must be easy to scan; within it, categories must be easy to recognize; the labels must be intuitive in language and structure; and, the page itself, must be easy to find.

Why agonize trying to developing an all-encompassing menu-based navigation system when you can provide the usability of a sitemap. Although not always the solution, the following sites employ a method of displaying a site map or site index that is easily accessible in the bottom portion of the home page. Unobtrusive to the main message of the site yet still a handy navigation tool.

NetSquared – A new found personal favourite. Usability will bring back the popularity of the sitemap. This navigation tool describes the breadth of the content very quickly and is easily scanned.

digg maintains the primary focus of the site by keeping the housekeeping off the main thoroughfare. When the site is providing a service, supporting content will become an obstacle.

CBC is a great example of a site index that caters to the variety of context in which a user might be browsing. Categorization by subject matter, by audience, by purpose: provides redundant but intuitive listing of links to the desired content.

Further reading

Site Map Usability

Sitemaps and Site Indexes: What They Are and Why You Should Have Them

This morning Yahoo! unveiled its new homepage design. There’s a really interesting post from Yahoo!’s UI team on the rationale behind the finer aspects of the redesign.Â

The new design makes great use of contemporary technologies like Ajax to enrich the user experience, but one of the more notable changes is the absence of the directory – one of Yahoo!’s hallmark features since the early days of the web. The directory approach was much less user-focused: “Use our categories to find what you want.” With advancements in search technologies (thanks Google), increased personalization and a focus on fresh content, it just doesn’t seem necessary to give the directory the prominence it once required.

I think the new Yahoo! homepage reflects a positive change in the web world towards personalization, usability and elegant use of technology. It’s great to see a big player like Yahoo! on the cutting edge. Kudos!