This content originally appeared on NN/g latest articles and announcements and was authored by Page Laubheimer
Summary: Local navigation indicates to users where they are and what other content is nearby in an information hierarchy.
If you ever explored an unfamiliar city on foot using a paper map, you probably are familiar with these two navigation strategies which I use all the time: To get to a specific attraction (like a museum), I try to figure out the overall part of the city it’s in and find the easiest path there. On the other hand, if I don’t have a specific place in mind, I’ll often take a look at what’s nearby, and go exploring a bit; perhaps find an intriguing coffee shop or park nearby.
Seeking a specific landmark and exploring a neighborhood require different levels of detail about the city. When I’m trying to get to a completely different part of the city, I’m looking at the overall geography of the city and paths between major areas. If I’m exploring a neighborhood, I’m interested in the options nearby.
These same behaviors of orientation and wayfinding exist for users of websites, and, like in the city-navigation example, the kinds of cues that help users will depend on their information-seeking needs. Most websites prominently feature global navigation (which is analogous to a zoomed-out map of city neighborhoods). Some sites with large numbers of pages also feature local navigation to help users orient and explore content within the current category.
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This content originally appeared on NN/g latest articles and announcements and was authored by Page Laubheimer
Page Laubheimer | Sciencx (2021-07-04T16:00:00+00:00) Local Navigation Is a Valuable Orientation and Wayfinding Aid. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2021/07/04/local-navigation-is-a-valuable-orientation-and-wayfinding-aid/
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