1What is online journalism? - Ayo Menulis FISIP UAJY

196 Journalism Online
failing of web design is not giving the same amount of attention to
this lower level navigation as is devoted to the top end:
In so many sites, as soon as you get past the second level, the
navigation breaks down and becomes ad hoc . . . But the
reality is that users usually spend as much time on lower level
pages as they do at the top. And unless you have worked out
top-to-bottom navigation from the beginning, it’s very hard to
graft it on later and come up with something consistent. . . .
The moral? It’s vital (when designing) to have sample pages
that show the navigation for all the potential levels of the site
before you start arguing about the colour scheme for the
home page.
Another useful navigation tool is the use of ‘breadcrumbs’. Taking
their lead from the fairytale characters Hansel and Gretel, some
designers will display the user’s journey through various levels of
the hierarchical structure as a series of headings connected with
arrows, usually at the top of the page. This works particularly well
on sites with deep structures, providing instant location for the user
who can also click on any heading to jump back to a previous level.
This all helps people to find their way around the site. But keep
stepping back from your page plan. Are you building up too much
‘noise’ or visual clutter? Don’t forget – the content should be the
centre of attention.
When you find yourself talking like this, it is time to get serious
about layout and other elements of graphic design. But all the time
keep whispering to yourself ‘interface, interface, interface’.
Present the whole package effectively
Page layout and design
What some people start with, we have left until the end. You will
have thought a lot about page layout and design before now, but the
mental activity should have been at three in the morning, over
breakfast or in the shower. It will have been tugging at your sleeve
for attention, but should not have been the focus of your thoughts. If
you don’t adopt this discipline, you might find yourself being told