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The way we organize a site depends, obviously, on its content. But our site is probably similar to others already out there. Here are some of the most common ways that websites are structurally grouped:
By topic
Topic-based navigation is very common at level 1 and 2, where the content varies widely and it’s critical to get the user to the right section before they can start their task.
By activity
Grouping content by activities and tasks may be the most common way to organize a websiteis common on lower levels of many websites. It takes advantage of the fact that most users arrive with a specific task in mind:
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Note that activity groups often resemble audiences and roles; sometimes it is just a question of labeling.
Note also that activities often mix well with topics (see above). Consistency is less important here than effectiveness.
By audience or role
When a site caters to several audiences, and the content is different for each, this is a popular choice. For example, a bank may divide its site into sections for personal banking, small business, large corporations, and so on.
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Usability guru Jakob Nielsen warns about the problems with audience-based navigation, but if done properly, it can be effective.
By topic
Topic-based navigation is often seen on larger websites, where the content varies widely and it’s critical to get the user to the right section before they can start their task.
By internal department
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