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Same-Page Navigation Links

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From: Dagmar Noll
Date: Mar 9, 2005 7:56AM

Hi.

I'm trying to look into some design theory on same-page navigaton links,
where they can improve accessability and usability, and where they can be
confusing and detrimental in these areas.

My suspicions (and assumptions):

1 "back to the top"-type links must be helpful for folks on PDAs viewing
looong HTML pages. I recently tried to make more meaningful links-- instead
of a "back to the top" after a small section, I wrote something like "More
[Main Subject] Topics/Options", but think this might confuse users with an
expectation for more info on that specific sub-topic

2 same-page navigaton links might be disorienting for screen readers because
they might indicate travel to a new page instead of just within the same
one, thus messing with people's expectations

3 same-page links can also be disorienting to visitors using graphical
browsers, again because they mess with expectations (this happens to me
frequently, and as far as I know, I don't have any cognative or visual
limitations beyond low-power corrective lenses)

I'd appreciate:

* Responses to these suspicions and assumptions,

* Examples of nicely organized same-page link navigation (if you think they
have a strong place in web page design),

* Any user testing/studies on how these work for users,

* and answers to these questions:

A. Do any/all/some of the screen readers specify if a link is a same-page
link (thus decreasing disorientation)?

B. Now I'm discovering navigation via well-formed headers, and in terms of
screen readers am considering bailing on all of the extra navigation
(because the headers make the sub-sections accessible), however, maybe they
are still helpful to PDAs? Or is there some other way for PDAs to easily
navigate around a long page? Is the scroll bar sufficient?

C. Finally, does anyone ever have trouble, personally, orienting themselves
after clicking a same-page navigation link from a sub-menu, or is it just me
(or just certain designs)?

This seems like such a simple feature of html, so maybe there is a simple
answer. That would be nice. I'm on the verge of scrapping same-page
navigation for my sections in favor of drilling down to info, but was hoping
to read some interesting discussion on the matter first.

I have tried searching for this info on my own using a variety of search
terms and looking at a variety of sources. I found almost nothing. If there
is a load of information on this out there that I've managed to miss and
someone would supply me with the appropriate keywords (or even sites), I'll
happily do my own footwork. Thanks!

Best Regards,

Dagmar Noll