[Sigia-l] Breadcrumbs

[Frank Siraguso]

I like the breadcrumbs metaphor, too, but accept the point made by messrs. George and Sean. While the Back button shows the true path, as it were, it doesn't display directly on the page and not every user (i guess) knows how to use the Back button to see it. So, I asked our resident rocket scientist about this. He said that it is possible to write code to dynamically show the actual path taken to a given page. It's even possible to show the "hierarchy breadcrumbs" and the "actual breadcrumbs." In the end, however, he said that it all comes down to is the benefit to the user worth the cost of the code. Answer: It depends.

Frank
Content Specialist
Digital Evergreen

-----Original Message-----
From: Coon, Sean [mailto:SCoon at Datek.com]
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 1:50 PM
To: sigia
Subject: RE: [Sigia-l] Breadcrumbs


"The part of the Breadcrumbs that functions as a street sign is the last
unliked bit (the current page). The rest of the text string provides
much more information. (Which is what Chiara actually described)

I feel the term breadcrumbs is a very good metaphor & title, because it
instantly tells us what it is. Everyone has been introduced to Hansel &
Gretel at some point in their life, and the people who use the term are
IAs and Web developers - where jargon is necessary."

----------------------

I think george's point was that the term 'breadcrumbs' brings about that
exact hansel and gretel experience, which is to provide a way back from
where you came. 'breadcrumbs' online don't do that. the back button
does. breadcrumbs are a navigational tool to show the user where they
are in the present hierarchy of the site. 

remember, the user may not have arrived on a specific page in the
'breadcrumb' by direct drilldown, they may have come via search or
contextual link. how do those scenarios fit in the cognitive experience
of H & G?

sean patrick coon
sr. interaction designer
ameritrade inc.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
v: 201_761_5540
m: 646_554_0271


------------
When replying, please *trim your post* as much as possible. *Plain text,
please; NO Attachments

ASIST IA 03 Summit: Making Connections
http://www.asist-events.org/IASummit2003/

Searchable list archive:   http://www.info-arch.org/lists/sigia-l/
________________________________________
Sigia-l mailing list -- post to: Sigia-l at asis.org
Changes to subscription: http://mail.asis.org/mailman/listinfo/sigia-l
------------
When replying, please *trim your post* as much as possible.
*Plain text, please; NO Attachments

ASIST IA 03 Summit: Making Connections
http://www.asist-events.org/IASummit2003/

Searchable list archive:   http://www.info-arch.org/lists/sigia-l/
________________________________________
Sigia-l mailing list -- post to: Sigia-l at asis.org
Changes to subscription: http://mail.asis.org/mailman/listinfo/sigia-l