[Sigia-l] SUMMARY: Samples of Site Maps & Site Indexes

[Pabini Gabriel-Petit]

Hi Karuna

I just read your very interesting original posting about site maps, in which
you discussed opinions about the most appropriate term for them. In my
opinion, one should use the term "site index" only for an alphabetical index
that follows the same conventions as a book index, including providing
synonymous terms. Such an index is very useful on sites that have a lot of
rich, closely related content. If designers were to use the term "index" for
site maps, it would makes the term less meaningful when used in its
traditional sense.

While I agree with you that the term "site map" would more appropriately
refer to a visual representation of the contents of a Web site, "site map"
has become the standard term for a hierarchical list of the pages on a Web
site. Visual site maps are just too hard to maintain. A site map strongly
resembles a book's table of contents, so that might have been a good term to
use, but "site map" it is.

To satisfy my personal sense of the fitness of things, I endeavor to make my
site maps as visual as possible. I color code the various sections of a Web
site and use that color coding to show groupings of Web pages on the site
map. (I'd send you a link to my site map, but I haven't published my site
yet.)

I've just read everyone else's remarks and can see that many others hold the
same view that I do.

To people who think site maps aren't necessary on smaller, well-structured
sites:
I disagree. While they may not be necessary for navigation or wayfinding
when one is lost, there is no better way to get an overview of a site's
content. Also, if one is not sure whether a site offers content that covers
a general topic, it's easier to look at its site map to make this
determination than to browse through a whole site just to find out that it
doesn't offer what's wanted.

Thanks to everyone for sharing all these great examples of site maps.

Pabini
________________________________________

Pabini Gabriel-Petit
Principal & User Experience Architect
Spirit Softworks
www.spiritsoftworks.com