Website Navigation – stick to convention
I’ve always been a fan of the book “Don’t make me think!” by Steve Kruge. As a book on website usability, among other valuable usability insights, it promotes the use of conventions that web users are used to. Conventions like having your logo at the top left, a navigation bar at the top or side of your page. You know, the stuff you’re used to seeing and clicking on.
But sometimes people want to be different. I’ve heard it in many a business board room – “we don’t want to look like anyone else, we want to be different”. Then when the fancy new website launches and the bounce rate hit’s 90% because visitors don’t know how to use the site nor care to learn…
If you’re running an e-commerce site selling stuff, don’t try to be cute, stick with convention.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to show off your creativity, go nuts, and take some inspiration from these crazy designers:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/ZU4Mt7jgisk/
