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Website Structure
The bones of the site will be based upon your site 
mission statement. Once the mission is established and
your goals are clear, the next step is to decide how to present
your content. Websites are relatively new creatures but some
"types" are emerging and some layouts and navigation
methods are becoming standard. In various combinations, these
structures provide the framework in which you will present
information, your company's image and your product or service.
Types of Websites
The type of site will depend upon the needs and preferences
of the audience. There are three basic site types:
- Entertainment
- Information
- Business
Entertainment
Anything goes. High degree of visual stimulation and interactivity.
Lots of bells and whistles with elaborate graphics, animation
and games. Navigation doesn't need to be clear, layout can
vary from page to page, and structure can be either shallow
or deep. The site will usually have a theme, with both layout
and navigation enhancing the overall feel of the site. Color,
excitement, strong graphics, bold headlines...chaos rules!
Information
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Reference: Think dictionary. Users will be searching
for one piece of information. They will enter the site,
expect to find what they're looking for immediately, then
leave. No bells and whistles and few, if any, graphics.
Provide a uniform layout with nonlinear structure, very
clear navigation, a search function, links to related
information and a glossary of terms.
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Training: Think encyclopedia. Short lessons of
an hour or less. Information will be presented in a linear
fashion. Restrict navigation to "next" and "back"
with few links that draw attention away from the logical
flow of information. Provide a balanced information hierarchy,
with very clear navigation, and links only at the end
of the presentation.
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Teaching: Think book. More in-depth, with longer
sessions and more opportunity to digress from the main
narrative. Provide a strong hierarchical structure with
a logical table of contents. Since reading from the screen
is fatiguing, offer a printable page that consolidates
many screens into one to read off-line.
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Education: Think library. Designed for already
educated people in self-directed study. Nonlinear grid-type
structure, dense with links, fast access to a wide range
of topics. Flexible navigation and interactive functions.
Provide text menus, well designed graphics, and printable
page options.
Business
E-commerce and advertisement are a blend of information and
entertainment. The degree of entertainment on the site depends
on the product or service offered, and the needs and preferences
of the user. If the business requires the establishment of
trust, such as financial or health services, entertainment
should be kept to a minimum and the site should reflect a
professional and solid presence. If a trendy product is offered
to younger consumers, these users expect visual stimulation
and interactivity. All business sites must provide a clear
path to product or service information and to the order or
contact page.
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Commodity Products: These products are offered
by many competitors so pricing, selection and availability
is your focus. Provide a catalogue with an index and search
function. Added value will differentiate you from your
competitors so include interactive functions, contests
or sweepstakes, special offers, etc.
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Considered Purchase Products: Expensive products
that require a great deal of thought and comparison shopping,
such as cars and electronic equipment. These sites should
be very informative, with little entertainment offered.
You are selling the company's image as much as the product,
so the site should be sophisticated and cutting edge.
Provide many levels of support and detailed contact information.
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Configurable Products: Items that are sold as
mix-and-match, such as modular homes, custom-built computer
systems and interior decorating products. Provide an informative
catalogue dense with links to compatible parts. Customers
will want to see what their combinations will look like
or how the system will function so provide a view of their
completed configuration, with graphs or charts if applicable.
Provide an FAQ page and an emphasis on support through
both e-mail and toll-free phone numbers.
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Services: Instead of selling a product, you will
be selling your company's image. Emphasize testimonials,
and provide certification and license information, your
guarantee, and provide telephone numbers to real people
(not recordings).
Layout and Navigation
The type of layout and navigation will depend on the user's
skill level. The site will tend to be designed for either
beginners or experts, but should accommodate both. Consider
providing a choice from an introductory page.
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Beginners will need a uniform layout with a shallow
information structure (2 to 6 menu choices), clear navigation,
and overviews of site contents. Beginners appreciate an
aesthetic site with simple icon menus, and easy access
to a graphics-based site map. Tools can include a glossary
of technical terms and an FAQ page.
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Experts prefer a deeper structure (6 or more menu
choices), with fast access to information. Fast-loading
text menus and a simple, text-based site map are important
tools for experts, with few bells and whistles that delay
access to information. Graphics should be kept to a minimum
-- just enough for branding and site navigation.
Pulling It All Together
As you can see, many combinations are available. Keep in
mind the needs and skill levels of your audience as you plan
your site structure. When a draft is complete it is very helpful
(most say, necessary,) to compose a test group with the same
demographic characteristics as your audience's to evaluate
the site for its function, continuity, ease of use, and aesthetics.
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