“There is no need to link to all sections from each and every page on a site.

We should limit pervasive navigation to five or six basic features and let people go back to the front page, if they want to start from the top. Instead, we should focus on getting users to what they want and provide useful links to related content.

Organising a site into sections and subsections does not by itself create a good user experience.

What matters is whether users can quickly and easily advance to the next step in the pursuit for their goal.

Top menus, left menus and breadcrumbs that are placed throughout the website are at best ignored - at worst distracting.”

It may sound obvious, but extensive research by usability experts shows that people quickly hit the back button in their browser, if they can’t quickly spot a keyword or hyperlink that will likely bring them closer to the goal they have in mind. So, if you can’t possibly find out what their goal is, how can you still improve the probability that people will decide to stay around and read more of what you have to offer on your site?

Read on for a discussion about the need for persistent navigation and practical tips how to improve your Web site so that it better fits and serves the short attention span of the goal-oriented visitor.