1. Directories, Site Maps & Site Indexes
Vynarack Xaykao
INF 385E
9/30/03

2. Outline Directories Site Maps Site Indexes Comparisons Software
Examples of types
Design tips
Site Maps
Site Indexes
Example
Comparisons
Software

3. Directories: Definition
“form of organizing information, in which content appears in categories, usually alphabetically, sequentially, or hierarchically” (Van Duyne, et. al)

4. Directories: Definition
“A search site on the Web that catalogs Web sites by subject and also manually indexes the site, providing a brief description of its content.” (TechEncyclopedia)

5. Directories: Text-based

6. Directories: Graphical (LexisNexis)

7. Directories: Design Tips
Talk to users
Search log analysis
Card Sorting with one group of customers
Potential categories and labels
Test names with another group
Category identification
Category description

8. Directories: Design Tips
Use descriptive and distinctive category names
Don’t use “other” or “misc.”
Include a few examples under each category
Use smaller font to set off subcategories from categories

9. Site Maps Another way to represent organization of content on site
“presents broad view of the content in the site and facilitates random access to segmented portions of that content” (Rosenfeld & Morville)

10. Site Maps: Text-based

11. Site Maps: Graphical (Negative Ion Generators)

12. Site Maps: Design Tips
“a map should be a map, not a navigational challenge of its own”
“main benefit is to give users an overview of the site's areas in a single glance by dedicating an entire page to a visualization of the information architecture”
Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox

13. Site Maps: Design Tips Involve your audience
Put the link to the site map in a prominent location on each page.
Call it a “site map.”

14. Site Indexes Another way to represent content on site
Alphabetical listing of keywords or phrases
Good for sites that are not strongly hierarchical

15. Site Indexes: Example

16. Site Indexes: Design Tips
Keep users in mind.
Make sure each page has links to all the letters of the alphabet.
Show number of items behind each topic
“molecular biology (20)”

17. Site Indexes: Design Tips
Use term rotation
“molecular biology
“biology, molecular”
Use controlled vocabulary indexing for content management systems

18. Comparisons
Site maps and site indexes are aids that help people use a site by showing its content.
Directories are usually front pages of portal sites and can represent content on your site or lead to other sites.

19. Which to use? Site Map Reinforces hierarchy Encourages exploration
Site Index
Flat hierarchy
Known item searching
Directory
Reinforces hierarchy
Focuses search from broad category

20. Software Linkno: free site map generator
XTREEME: static or DHTML site maps, site indexes, directories
SmartDraw: graphical site maps

21. References
Gagnon, G. (2002). Mapping Your Site. PC Magazine [On-line]. Available:
Nielsen, J. (2002). Site Map Usability. Alertbox [On-line]. Available:
Rosenfeld, L., & Morville, P. (2002). Information Architecture for the World Wide Web (2nd ed.). Cambridge ; Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly.

22. References
TechEncyclopedia. (2003). [On-line]. Available:
Thomason, L. (2002). Give Visitors a Map. Webmaster Tips. [On-line]. Available:
Van Duyne, D. K., Landay, J. A., & Hong, J. I. (2002). The Design of Sites. Addison-Wesley.