Splash pages

Have you come across a useful splash page lately?
I haven't for a long time - so I take the courrage to say - there are none. You can hardly find a website with a splash page which is there for a good reason.

How web navigation really works

The navigation is the component of a Web site that enables the user to easily find her way through the site structure. Its main purpose is to make sure the viewer always knows which page took her to where she is, the location within the structure, where she actually is and where she can go from there. Clear, simple navigation structures and explicit navigation elements can point the user to content on the current or other pages. Missing or unstructured navigation can cause the user to leave the site being disorientated, angry or dissatisfied.

Search

If a site requires the implementation of site-search facilities, a user should be able to easily access the search pages from wherever she is within the structure. More than 50% of users use search functions to find information before trying to locate it themselves, by browsing the site. Other visitors try the navigation to access certain information and use search facilities only if they are not successful in their quest.

Legibility

The following basic guidelines can help a designer improve a web-site's legibility: