Doormat Navigation

Problem

Users need to be directed to the right section of the website

Solution

List the main categories with the elements in the center of the home-page

From www.adobe.com

Use when

You are designing the Homepage of an information rich website. Typically a Corporate Site or an Information Seeking.

How

Divide your site into very few main sections. Three or four main sections is preferable because the clean and informative effect of the doormat is otherwise rapidly diminishing. Place the labels of each main section above a list of sub-items of that section. The sub-items must also not be too numerous, typically 4-8 items.

Why

The doormat give users a quick and informative overview of the primary choices they need to make. Nothing important is hidden and all options in the doormat are accessible in one click.

More Examples

Comments

2 comments have been added to this pattern

Vitaly, 3rd September 2007

May everyone use this type navigation for tour-site?
Divide homepage into selections named by country titles.
Where can I see more patterns?

Matthijs Rouw, 29th October 2007

Maybe even more than usability value (these are still large lists of links :-S), this is very good for search-engine optimisation!