Thread

Over the past years as a web developer I have always tried to follow some guidelines and rules when designing and developing. Such as using a html sitemap, custom error pages, custom thank you pages, favicions, robots.txt etc etc. We all have our things that we do but there has been two things over the years I have never been able to commit to or steer away from.

Having a home page link in the main navigation, now or course linking back the logo to the home page is a standard practice for me but I do have a hard time of wondering if the home link should live in the main navigation. I usually don’t put it in the navigation but sometimes I still do and some times the client requests it.

The second thing is using the active state in the main navigation for example if you look to the top of this forum you will see the forum button in it’s active state. This is another thing that I do sometimes and sometimes I don’t.

So what I am asking from this forum community is what do you do and why and hopefully that will help me out with what I will do in the future.

Thanks in advance,

Brandon

I always appreciated the home link especially if I land on some random page. “Let me start from the beginning” kind of approach. I have yet to use a sitemap…generally I check them out just to see it working but have never used them to navigate. Active state is important especially if your themes share the same look…eg. wiki,KB, Forums. “you are here” approach to navigation was something I am a fan of…not necessarily breadcrumbs so much as knowing where I am with respect to navigation.
On the other hand, I looked at the “home” link a few times and thought….well I am at the start page - do I really need to confirm that it is ‘home’?
So not having ‘home’ on start page is OK but would like to see it deeper in navigation while link of logo to start page should be there….all this IMHO.

I agree with lebisol with regards to the way I like to see things on a page and I don’t really like a home button as I will always just try the logo first as they are usually set up to do that.

As to what you should or shouldn’t do though would really be down to what the site needs and whether or not you are working designing something for a client or not. Sometimes clients have very specific needs and so what might work on one site just won’t really cut it on another.

I think personally that you should approach every single project with a fresh look. You have still obviously got all the knowledge in your head about what you could or couldn’t and should or shouldn’t do on sites but really approach them all with a fresh face each time and usually it will just become clear as to what to do once you have a good run down of what you need.

Best wishes,

Mark

Home button or link for sure, usually in multiple places (top and bottom). Page length being what they are these days, it’s handy to have a “back to top” button, too, especially on iPhone-only layouts.

Home link for definite. Always make it easy for the user to navigate and of prime importance in any user journey through a site is to make sure they know where they are! Its astonishing how many sites neglect this. I would put both items on your ‘always’ list.

I think personally that you should approach every single project with a fresh look. You have still obviously got all the knowledge in your head about what you could or couldn’t and should or shouldn’t do on sites but really approach them all with a fresh face each time and usually it will just become clear as to what to do once you have a good run down of what you need.

Best wishes,

Mark

I approach all projects with a fresh mind and unique concept and that is why sometimes I do use a home link in the navigation and sometime I don’t. Of course it is all based on the project and if the client wants a home link in the main navigation then or course they get what they want because well they are the paying customer. The thing is a client has never asked me to take out a home link, but many have asked to put one in or ask me why they don’t have one. The answer to that is usually clicking on your logo will take you back to your home page which is a standard practice, or they have the possibility of getting back to the home page via the bread crumb trail or footer navigation. I mix it up so much and truthfully I don’t know why and that is why I posted this thread to find out how other developers think on these two subjects.

So not having ‘home’ on start page is OK but would like to see it deeper in navigation

My personal opinion on this statement is that the navigation should be completely consistent on all pages, so if I do use a home button then it will be on all pages, leaving it off the home page wouldn’t fly in my book.

Thanks for your opinion on the matter.