Note 04 · Finding a way
Leave a clear route through the page
Navigation helps someone choose a destination and find a way back.
Offer a few distinct destinations
A small site often needs a start page, a useful index and an explanation of its purpose. Name those destinations consistently across the site. Avoid adding several menu entries that lead to nearly identical views of the same material.
Show the current place
A visible current-page marker or a short breadcrumb can help a reader interpret a direct link into a deeper page. The marker should communicate a location rather than serve as decoration alone.
Try an unfamiliar route
Open an article directly, follow a related link and return to the index. A route that works only after visiting the home page can leave another reader stranded. Review the paths people can actually arrive by.