• Alphabetical organisation schemes, such as those used in dictionaries and encyclopedias, organise information alphabetically.
• Chronological organisation schemes, such as those used in diaries and televisions guides, organise information by time or date.
• Geographical organisation schemes, such as those used in weather forecasts, organise information by location.

Topical organisation schemes, such as those used in textbooks, organise information by topic.
• Task-oriented organisation schemes, such as those used in the menu bars of software applications, organise information by processes, functions and tasks.
• Audience-specific organisation schemes organise information according to the interests of particular audiences. For example, a university website might organise its content according to the interests of potential students, current students and staff.
• Metaphor-driven organisation schemes organise information by relating it to familiar metaphors. For example, the Windows and Macintosh operating systems help users to operate their computer through a desktop metaphor comprised of files, folders and a trash can or recycle bin

For the first-time visitor, answering the question "What does this site do?" may be the most important function of the home page, but for most other users, the most important function of a home page is to serve as the entry point to the site's navigation scheme. Often this will take the form of a list of the top levels of a hierarchical directory, but depending on the information architecture, different forms of top-level entry aides may make sense

One straightforward way of quickly informing users about the purpose and identity of a site is by prominently displaying its name or logo (see Figure 9-3). Also the design of the home page⎯the use of visual language⎯should give the first-time visitor some clue as to the nature of the site.

In a hierarchically structured site the home page is the top-level page or root⎯the page without a parent. It usually provides an overview of the site's content with links to all of the main sections. Often this orientation device will take the form of a navigation bar or a table of contents

As the flagship of the site, the home page often has a slightly different design to the remaining pages, but they generally all share the same style. Visual consistency is an important consideration in interface design. Navigation is more efficient if users don't have to spend time familiarising themselves with a new layout every time they move to a new page. You can build similarity between pages with consistent choices of visual components such as colours and fonts, and consistent placement of repeating page elements such as headings and navigation controls.

Remember that not all users will enter a site through its home page. People who arrive via a search engine or an external link could enter from any page at all. A descriptive title or signature graphic near the top of each page can help to orient users who find themselves in this situation. Similarly, identification information near the bottom of each page⎯such as contact details, the document's date of last revision or copyright information⎯can act as a signature for the document.

Every page in a website should provide a link to the home page so that users can immediately return to a familiar location if they become disoriented. Often this link takes the form of the site logo or an explicit navigation control labelled 'home'. Hierarchical sites can extend this idea by providing links to all of the main sections of the site on every page. Try to avoid creating 'dead-end' pages where clicking the browser's Back button is the only way out

Links are one of the most important elements of a website. Without links there is no navigation. The links in a website may be categorised as either those that define the structure of the site, or those that serve as cross-references to related information. Structural links are established early in a site's design phase, but cross-references aren't added until all of the content is in place.

Typical examples of structural links are the links that make up a navigation bar. In its simplest form, a navigation bar is a collection of text links to the main sections of a site. Alternatively a navigation bar may be implemented as a collection of linked images or as an image map, which will be explained later in this section.

If you use icons (small images) as the links within a navigation bar, it is advisable to complement them with text labels. Very few icons have universally recognised meanings. For example, an icon that is readily recognised as a mailbox in one culture, could be surprisingly unfamiliar to people from other cultures. Ambiguous icons are more confusing than helpful.

Navigation bars are usually either horizontal or vertical. The number of links in the bar sometimes determines its orientation. If a navigation bar has a large number of links, a horizontal orientation might be impractical. Users should be able to see all navigation options simultaneously without having to scroll the page.

Placing a horizontal navigation bar at the top of a page makes the links immediately accessible as soon as the page loads (see Figure 9-4). The downside of using a horizontal navigation bar at the top of the page is that it quickly scrolls out of view. Some designers place a second horizontal navigation bar at the bottom of each page for this reason

Labels are an important cue for helping users to understand a site's structure and navigation system. We typically find labels used in two different ways within a website: as links to chunks of information, and as headings that identify chunks of information. For example, an icon labelled 'What's New' might serve as a link to a page entitled 'What's New'

• Speak the user's language. Successful labels match the thinking and language of a site's visitors, not its designers or owners. Take special care to avoid jargon and organisation terminology. • Don't be too terse. If the meaning of a label is ambiguous, consider supplementing its first appearance with a brief description. • Add text labels to icons. Although icons are commonly used as navigation controls, their meanings are generally open to more than one interpretation. • Apply labels consistently. Using the label 'Main' on one page and 'Home' on another will hinder the familiarity that users need when navigating a site. • Match link labels to headings. Ensure that labels on navigation controls match the headings on the pages they link to. • Give pages meaningful titles. Titles are often used as the main references to pages in browser history lists and bookmark lists

Morris (2000) offers some suggestions for using language to create personality and present a certain voice. He believes that words used in e-mail messages and websites need to be more conversational, more tailored and more honest than other forms of written communication.

Style: Does it get to the point or does it waste your time? Does it suit the purpose of the site? Is it fresh and new or is it written in a flat corporate voice?
• Personality and impact: Does it have personality (but not too much)? Does it strike a chord with you? Do the words make you want to stay?
• Reality: Does it feel real and truthful or is it full of hype and hot air? Do you believe it?
• One way or two: Does it open up a two-way conversation? Does it make you want to get in contact? Do the experiences of users inform the site?
• Voice: Does it sound as though a real human wrote it? Would you spend time with that person? Does it sound like the same organisation you dealt with by phone, in person or in writing?