Web Navigation design Skills: To expand the design of creative and thinking of the navigation design

Article Description: navigation is generally located in the upper part of the page, but also in the area of the visual center. While maintaining its reasonable function, a good navigation design, often can become the whole web design of the finishing touch of the pen!

Navigation is an indispensable part of web design, and it is a quick way for site visitors to get the content they need. Navigation allows the hierarchical structure of the site to be clearly displayed in a structured manner and to guide users to find and manage information effortlessly, to deliver effectively. At the same time, navigation is generally located in the upper part of the Web page, but also in the Visual center area. While maintaining its reasonable function, a good navigation design, often can become the whole web design of the finishing touch of the pen!

A designer in the layout and overall planning Web page design, navigation is always an important element. We think, what form does the navigation show? Is it possible to maximize its ability to comb the structure of the Web site and deliver information effectively? Can you contrast and match the design style of the whole page? Is it possible to embellish and embody the characteristics of the website without affecting its functionality? is the ability to strive for excellence as a key to the entire web design? So let's share and analyze some of the navigational designs that make the designers think carefully.

The design of the navigation will be based on the site's basic categories, attributes and characteristics of the location. Here, I selected a number of systems, portals and other types, have clear features, user positioning, products and brand characteristics of the brand category, topic-type sites. For these sites, the design of navigation will break through our common horizontal long navigation or vertical navigation, will be more meaningful, fun and interesting, is to allow designers to enjoy the development of creative design and thinking of "a little meaning" of the navigation design!

A. Material type, add material to navigation!

The material class navigation, is touches the navigation, increases the navigation means the most commonly used design method. In the design of website with special orientation and user point, it is widely used by designers. This kind of quick, simple, effect direct design way, can quickly the product characteristic and the designer's ingenuity presents. and the material class navigation design often can not break the basic form of navigation, can be very good to maintain the function of navigation, page layout of the neat feeling. Therefore, the characteristics of the product can be expressed flexibly in the structure and position of the fixed Web page prototype. Designers can carve the internal material, so as to create a different meaning of navigation, a small bright spot in the entire page.

B. quasi-class, so that navigation is more than just navigation!

How do you make a page look immersive and integrate into the world of the site's products? So it is necessary to let the user's visual experience really feel the existence of the product characteristics. At this time, a common inflexible navigation, far from meeting the design needs of the page. Even if the product picture is seductive, a cold navigation without the atmosphere, on the page not only let people disappointed more damage should have the atmosphere. Therefore, more and more design, so that navigation into a foil, enhance the web and product atmosphere of the exciting! Quasi-class navigation, like the chameleon, in different positioning of the web design, capture and adapt to the characteristics of the environment, so as part of the environment. Quasi-class navigation, can be a drawer, can be cloth, can be trees, can be anything you can think of and creative out of things! Break all the established rules, do not have to be a long quartet, do not necessarily have to uniform layout, quasi-class navigation can be the designer's initiative to play to the extreme! This kind of navigation design, in the entire Web page can achieve another layer of functionality, that is, to help improve the product to the user's powerful visual awareness, and has not seen the details of its products, you will be able to feel ahead of what it is, what style, what kind of pursuit. Make navigation more than just navigation!

C. Form class, change shape design navigation!

If you ask what navigation is like, most people will immediately emerge with several basic shapes and styles, top bars, and side columns. Even if you are tall, fat, thin, and have different colors and materials, most of the navigation will not span the basic boundaries. So does navigation have to adhere to the shape of the "rule"? The answer must be denied. Although users are accustomed to the "rules" of navigation, but the alternative form of navigation design has undoubtedly given users a new perspective, the original navigation can also be "no rules and no distance"! So whether you can change the shape of navigation design, the answer is no, designers always have to remember the fundamental nature of navigation and use, so that navigation can never be separated from its design in the core role of the page. If you are a bold designer, and a new design concept and product appeal, then may wish to try to do a land adjustment, change the shape of the design navigation!

D. Fusion class, "harmony and common" navigation design!

There are vigorous and resolute the navigation of the Thunder brother, there will be a low-key attention to harmonious navigation. In some web design, the guidance of demand will require the navigation to a certain degree of weakening, so as to highlight the main content of the product. So what should designers do about this part of the navigation design? Is it a simple list of words? Or do you leave the navigation in the corner? How can the weakened navigation still not lose the design sense, even can assist the main body content to highlight? This time, the navigation of the processing and design can more reflect a designer on the macro overall situation control, as well as the details of the local control, so that local obedience to the whole, but not rough treatment, but exquisite is just right! Weakening does not require design, and harmony is not hidden and disappearing. Many excellent design works, in dealing with this kind of situation, usually the navigation and the main background of the Web page to be associated with the integration. From the color of the just, style feelings, background pictures of the association, wireframe and so on many aspects can be processed and designed. Let the navigation naturally present, as if as a part of the main body, and then back to the second, the more visual focus left to the main content. In order to maintain its function perfectly, but also with the overall page "harmony"!

E. extension class, navigation design more possibilities!

Design is in constant progress, with the user experience, the development of user awareness, product demand diversity, the concept of continuous exploration and update, we believe that navigation design will have more possibilities! Perhaps the next new form of design will be born between you and me! More and more research and exploration on navigation design will bring new visual and use experience to users!