If you are interested in the World Wide Web you can hardly escape references to hypertext and hypermedia. The computer press is full of fuzzy thinking about how Web-based information can somehow "link everything to everything." The implication is that with the Web you can dispense with one of the most challenging aspects of presenting information — putting it into a logical order and creating an interesting and understandable resource for readers. But if your idea of how one section of your site relates to other areas is hazy, if you have no comprehensive narrative or clear sense of organization, your readers will know it soon enough, and most will leave in pursuit of material that is better organized.
SITE DESIGN
Organizing information
• "Chunking"
Site structure
• Basic information structures
• Site diagrams
Design themes
• Training
• Teaching
• Continuing education
• Reference
• Entertainment/magazines
• News
• E-commerce
Site elements
• Home pages
• Menus & subsites
• Resource lists
• Site guides
• "What's new?"
• Search
• Contact & feedback
• Bibliographies & appendixes
• FAQ pages
• Error pages
Internet versus intranet
• Design standards
References
Copyright 2002 Lynch and Horton
Send questions and comments to help@webstyleguide.com
Last updated 5 March 2004