Navigation

[jeremyc]

It would be nice to have a drop down menu (perhaps at the top right of the page) with links that enabled navigation to any of the main sections of the site e.g.
PistonHeads home
Gassing Station
Shop
Classifieds
Calendar
Members
Links

A good example is the navigation scheme on www.telegraph.co.uk.

The reason for this? Currently the only way to get from Gassing to, say, Classifieds is to go back via the PH home page. Now, I realise that this is an evil plot by PetrolTed to ensure we view as many ads as possible, but IMHO it would make the site much more usable (and reduce RSI ) if we could jump straight to the relevant page.

[CarZee]

agreed.. one of the main metrics of site usability is how many clicks it takes to get from one place to another.

[pjg]

quote:
agreed.. one of the main metrics of site usability is how many clicks it takes to get from one place to another.

Yep, the recommendation is that you should be no less than three clicks away from the home page at any point.

[MikeyT]

Why not highight the URL all the way back to /gassing and typ '/ads' and press return – simple! (or put it in yer favourites!)

– you IT types ...

[PetrolTed]

quote:It would be nice to have a drop down menu (perhaps at the top right of the page) with links that enabled navigation to any of the main sections of the site

Mmm... let me mull it over. I agree that navigation is of utmost importance but I would say that you're only ever one click away from the home page and therefore two clicks away from the rest of the site. An additional navigation mechanism might break up the standard left/top navigation...?

[jeremyc]

quote:Mmm... let me mull it over. I agree that navigation is of utmost importance but I would say that you're only ever one click away from the home page and therefore two clicks away from the rest of the site. An additional navigation mechanism might break up the standard left/top navigation...?

I see it as an alternative navigation to the top/left stuff.

There will always be those who go back via the home page (clicking links) or type in URLs (I'm glad MikeyT can remember the URLs of all the page - I don't know, you creative types ), this provides a click'n'drop'n'select list that is universal for all pages.

I only mention it as a) I find the Telegraph site navigation very good (it also has the clicking links type navigation top left); b) I sometimes find it frustrating moving between Gassing and Ads; and I guess I'm just a click'n'drop'n'select type of guy .

>> Edited by jeremyc on Tuesday 9th July 23:35

[cirks]

how about a completely customisable portal interface for pistonheads - surely you've got nothing better to do Ted!