[Sigia-l] where to put common links

[Andrew Boyd]

katherine lumb wrote:

>I have a client who wants to do something "different" and would like
>to put some common links (site map, contact us, our company, our
>products) in the footer rather than at top right.
>
>Obviously, this will get tested at some point.
>
>Until then, can anyone point me to any research on the subject of
>optimal link placement, conventions for common interface elements,
>etc? I have explained that most users will expect to find these links
>in particular places, like the upper right corner of the page; but I
>don't want to tell him "no" too hastily or without some backup.
>  
>
Hi Katherine,

Without going into the realm of Yet Another Best Practice Bunfight, I've 
found it easiest in the past to do a few five-minute usability tests on 
navigation placement to establish what is expected within the given 
organisation, then use GOMS to convert this into a rough dollars and 
cents argument - "Sir or Madam, testing has established that this is the 
best way to do navigation placement within your organisation. If we do 
it this other way, it will cost the organisation an estimated extra 14 
people-months per year".

Get said client to sit in on some of the tests if you can.

The disclaimer for the above should read  "Warning: this only works if 
you have easy access to a predefined set of end users and the client is 
prepared to pay for the testing".

The trouble with expert opinion on navigation placement is that there is 
so much of it, and lots of conflicts between opinions. Healthy debate is 
good - organisation-specific design decisions are better.

Best regards, Andrew

-- 
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Andrew Boyd  andrew at friendlymanual.com
Web Development/ePublishing Solutions
http://www.friendlymanual.com
http://www.successadvances.com
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