Informationally-based web site and link structure

[byepolar]

I am developing a very large informational site (< 5,000 pages). I am using a hierarchial navigational strucuture. My problem is that it's not good for the user to have to click more than 3 levels deep, and it's also bad to display too many navigational links. So if I can only go 3 levels deep, and have only 10 links per level, this severely limits my web site size! What can be done?

[vitaplease]

The numbers are against you: 10 x 10 x 10 = 1000.

Are you sure all your 5000 pages have equal priority and that some could not be equally well found through more clicks (more as a follow-up)?

Do not forget that very often people will or might enter your site through an internal page (e.g. via search engine results), and three clicks from there will mean more reach.

You can also use exploding hierarchial navigational menus.

[laurellyon]

The 3-click rule isn't written in stone. Users like to be reassured that they're getting close to what they want in 3 clicks, but if that indication is there they'll click a few more levels deep (IMHO). There's a mention of the 3 click idea here:
http://www.uie.com/Articles/usability_myths.htm
and I recommend you have a look at some of the other articles on this site as a starting point for organising your 5000 pages - this one could be useful:
http://www.uie.com/Articles/strategies_categories.htm

[txbakers]

I tend to agree with the 3 click rule, though it is not fixed in stone as was said above.

You could look to alternate navigational methods such as <select> elements that link to other pages, or a portal idea that has a page full of <select> elements, each with multiple links grouped by category.

I do the latter on my "home" page for my web based application. The users wanted one central location to find most everything within one or two clicks.

[mat_bastian]

I wonder, if a topic is broad enough to have 5000+ pages, maybe it could be broken into two or three related but different sites altogether.

[mack]

If it was me I would stick with a defined structure with a new folder for every sub section. I would also use breadcrums to assist in navigation. for example.....
home > widgets > red widgets > big red widgets

Breadcrums are great for navigation and also for spidering. What you might also want to think about is having a search box within the header of each page. That way if the user gets lost thay can do a quick search to get back on course.

Hope this helps!

[byepolar]

Yes it is broad enough to have 5,000 pages. I have 8 links across the top. After the user clicks a top-level link (1 of the 8), I am thinking of having a directory/site map style page that lists all 2nd level categories, along with the 3rd level categories underneath them. In this way, users can click a 3rd level link after only having clicked once. Example:

Home -> Dogs Information

Dogs Information

Golden Retrievers
-how to groom
-best food
-pictures

Labradors
-how to groom
-best food
-pictures

I have 3 columns centered on the page. Now, when users click one of the links, it goes to a page with a left link bar with the content to the right of the left link bar. This is opposed to directory/site map view where all the link are arranged by category in 3 columsn in the center of the page. If for example, "Best Food" has multiple categories, I go to directoy/site map view instead of left link bar/content to right view. This is cut down the clicks and allow the user to see everything at a glance.

[byepolar]

In case you're looking for a visual explanation. If you go here:
http://www.nbc.com/

Right underneath the main white table is what the directory/site map view looks like.

And the black left link bar opposite the white table is the other template.

[brotherhood of LAN]

hmm, why did WW not document when the 2 click rule turned into the 3 click rule? :) Checking goog there are sites dedicated to both....

byepolar, maybe you have to go further than 3 levels, because "dogs" is quite a generic subject in the grand scheme of things. Check out DMOZ to confirm.

[txbakers]

I came across this interesting navigation "bar" today, which might interest the poster above:

www.iceline3rinks.com

[brotherhood of LAN]

which one? :)

nice bar, see its a FP shared border too...nice and easy to maintain. Hopefully it doesnt amount to over 100 links.....still though, why have nested when you can have route 1.

[byepolar]

I just can't seem to find articles/information on information architecture of informational-based sites < 5000 pages. The closest thing was the link Laurellyon posted. Studying the article did provide some good solutions, but it's still really big and messy.

[laurellyon]

Problem is, there isn't one right way to do this. If there was a lot of information architects would be out of a job. Here's a list of useful sites (I've been thinking about getting into this specialization):
http://guuui.com/
http://www.iaslash.org/
http://eleganthack.com/articles/index.html
http://boxesandarrows.com/
http://www.jjg.net/ia/
http://www.uiweb.com/

There are lots more of course, but i think you'll find something useful quicker in these.

Another approach is to look critically at how other very big sites (eg, cnet, guardian.co.uk, yahoo, etc etc) manage their information architecture, and see where you can rip off their ideas - er, learn from them.

[vitaplease]

thanks laurellyon,

those are a nice bunch of resources.