Web Design Guidelines by Farkas & Farkas
 

1. Designing an Effective Link

1.1  Be sure that all links indicate that they are links
          underlining, buttons, items in colums, textual hints, mouse rollover,
          changing cursor icon, and semantics The linked image shows links that are not easily identifiable

1.2  Work to ensure that users will view and notice links  thumb down
       Put important links above scroll lines; entice users to scroll past scroll lines

1.3  Be sure that all links clearly indicate their destinations
       Text links, explanatory text, mouse rollover

2.  Managing large number of links

2.1  Plan effective ratios of breadth and depth in Web site hierarchies
       Breadth over depth, grouping  The linked image shows the Excite web portal. Even though it has an estimated 100 links, it is o.k. from an HCI point of view since it provides breadth on the top level and since the links are grouped thematically

2.2  Supplement the primary links of a Web site with secondary links,
       when appropriate
       
2.3  Allow branches of a hierarchy to converge whenappropriate
      
2.4  Design the interface to readily reveal the underlying information structure The linked image shows a two-level horizontal navigation bar (from poet.com homepage)
 

3.  Providing orientation information

3.1  Provide clear, brief, and highly conspicuous orientation information on the home
       page.  What is this site about? The link shows a homepage whose purpose is not not easily identifiable ("Splash" pages are o.k. if you can click them away).

3.2  Provide orientation information on lower-level pages to support continued
       exploration of your Web site. 
         static: The link shows a homepage with a static navigation menu on the left side. The user's current position is marked out.   collapsable: The link shows a navigation menu at the left side that can be expanded and collapsed. The current position is marked out.   multi-layered: The linked image shows a three-level navigation hierarchy (from gap.com)   expandible wheels: The linked image shows a collapsable cylindrical tree that hosts a hierarchical menu.

4. Augmenting link to link navigation

4.1  Employ site maps to show the global structure of a site and to provide
       direct access to nodes The linked image shows a textual site map (from delorme.com) The linked image shows a graphical site map (from idt.com) The linked image shows an automatically generated star-like site map (from inxight.com)

4.2  Provide a search facility or an index for direct access to content

4.3  Provide a link to the home page throughout the site