Corporate Web Standards

Navigational conventions

  • Corporately approved navigational conventions must be used
  • Navigation methods and terminology must be consistent
  • Each page must display the corporate navigation bar

Navigation relates to how users find their way around a web site. Navigational text and icons must be consistent both throughout your collection and with the whole of the website.

Inconsistent navigation can reduce a website to a confusing muddle of pages and resources. A website that has consistent and intuitive navigation is a usable website which speeds up a visitor's ability to "learn" how your website works and the more effective they will be at finding information and completing tasks.


Influences on this standard

UK Government Guidelines

Central Office of Information guidelines - navigation

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Ensure that links and images are a decent size and not too close together......link text should give the user a clear idea of the destination and make sense when read out of context. Avoid the use of 'click here', for example. This is particularly important for screen reader users who may use a list of links to navigate the page

Web Accessibility Inititative

W3C full checklist

"Use navigation mechanisms in a consistent manner"

"Create a style of presentation that is consistent across pages"