Breadcrumbs.
April 10, 2007, 07:30:05 PM Posted by KGIII on April 10, 2007, 07:30:05 PM in Breadcrumbs. | 6 CommentsIn SMF we call it the link tree I suppose but most folks call it breadcrumb navigation. It is ironic that a fellow SMF user and I were discussing this very topic last night and, today, this appeared in my inbox:
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/breadcrumbs.html
After reading it I would like to cover two topics. The first is believing what they do as opposed to what they say. If you can get analytics to work properly then study the path that people take through your site. See what they are doing and optimize for that. Don't ask what they want - watch what they do and aim to capitalize on those paths.
The second is that, well, breadcrumbs are really simple and you can avoid them to some extent but the main focus here is to ensure that navigation is always simple. You don't need a back button - I've yet to see a browser without one that is in common use - but you do need to ensure that you provide a clear way for people to find what they are looking for. You only get a few moments before someone makes up there mind if they are going to stay or leave and you have even less time to show them that their information can be easily found.
Take a trek around UseIT.com as time allows. I think you will find that a lot of it is worth reading and, as much as you can, putting into place in your own projects.
Quote
Breadcrumbs won't help a site answer users' questions or fix a hopelessly confused information architecture. All that breadcrumbs do is make it easier for users to move around the site, assuming its content and overall structure make sense. That's sufficient contribution for something that takes up only one line in the design.
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/breadcrumbs.html
After reading it I would like to cover two topics. The first is believing what they do as opposed to what they say. If you can get analytics to work properly then study the path that people take through your site. See what they are doing and optimize for that. Don't ask what they want - watch what they do and aim to capitalize on those paths.
The second is that, well, breadcrumbs are really simple and you can avoid them to some extent but the main focus here is to ensure that navigation is always simple. You don't need a back button - I've yet to see a browser without one that is in common use - but you do need to ensure that you provide a clear way for people to find what they are looking for. You only get a few moments before someone makes up there mind if they are going to stay or leave and you have even less time to show them that their information can be easily found.
Take a trek around UseIT.com as time allows. I think you will find that a lot of it is worth reading and, as much as you can, putting into place in your own projects.
Comments
hehe, that was an interesting conversation 
I agree though, navigation is so much easier with them
I agree though, navigation is so much easier with them
you might be interested to see what I have done with the linktree, in this screenshot, is a user looking at a message in a child board
on the left
board name (link to boardindex)
category name
in the center
the board name
child board name
message title
on the right
the word board as a title
the words subforum as a title
and the moderator title, and person's name as a link
then the line below that has
page and numbers, prev/next and the down button
this new linktree is included in the ultimate2, ultiportal, and seemer themes. the pic is of the new theme, earthmom, which is alpha testing
regards,
nada
on the left
board name (link to boardindex)
category name
in the center
the board name
child board name
message title
on the right
the word board as a title
the words subforum as a title
and the moderator title, and person's name as a link
then the line below that has
page and numbers, prev/next and the down button
this new linktree is included in the ultimate2, ultiportal, and seemer themes. the pic is of the new theme, earthmom, which is alpha testing
regards,
nada
Well, it's colourful but it just doesn't show the hierarchy and current position with the simple clarity of a nice breadcrumb trail...
Quote from: Peter Duggan on April 28, 2007, 06:35:49 PM
Well, it's colourful but it just doesn't show the hierarchy and current position with the simple clarity of a nice breadcrumb trail...
You have given me some ideas for my next project....
nada
Where you are in relationship to the rest of the site... That is the best part of breadcrumbs.
Quote from: KGIII on April 30, 2007, 08:57:58 PM
Where you are in relationship to the rest of the site... That is the best part of breadcrumbs.
Hi KGIII,
I am toying with the breadcrumbs (linktree) in a sidebar on the RIGHT.
still pondering over it...
discussing it here:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=168108.0
nada