• The study in the article Breadcrumb Navigation: An Exploratory Study of Usage (Feb 2003, publ. May 2003) shows that usage of the Breadcrumb is low, and that users using breadcrumbs did not navigate more efficiently. The usability research was limited in scale (2 sites) and needs to be expanded to reach definite conclusions.

• The study in the article Breadcrumb Navigation: An Exploratory Study of Usage (Feb 2003, publ. May 2003) shows that usage of the breadcrumb is low, and that users using breadcrumbs did not navigate more efficiently. The usability research was limited in scale and needs to be expanded to reach definite conclusions.
  • The follow-up research confirms that users are using the breadcrumb sparingly, if at all, and that "no differences were found in the efficiency measures of total pages visited, navigation bar clicks, embedded link clicks, or time to complete the search tasks". "Future studies should investigate whether a simple understanding of the purpose of the breadcrumb trail or minimal training impacts usage and/or efficiency". The research does show increasing usage if the breadcrumb is positioned near the content. Exposure to a breadcrumb does let users form a hierarchical mental model of the site.

• Breadcrumb Navigation: An Exploratory Study of Usage - Usability News, May 2003.

• Breadcrumb Navigation: An Exploratory Study of Usage - Usability News, February 2003, Vol. 5 Issue 1
• Breadcrumb Navigation: Further Investigation of Usage - Usability News, August 2003, Vol. 5 Issue 2

-- ArthurClemens - 03 Jul 2003

Authors:
-- ArthurClemens - 15 Aug 2003

When the user performs a search, he does not use the main navigation but jumps directly to a page, so he can loose orientation easily.

When the user performs a search, he does not use the main navigation but jumps directly to a page, so he can loose sense of location easily.

On websites with 3 levels or more, users need a fallback navigation method.

On websites with 3 levels or more, users need a fallback navigation method if other navigation methods (menu, search) fail.

Principle

• The links should always be presented as secundary information to the main navigation. Use a smaller font and non-obtrusive colors.

• The links should always be presented as secundary information to the main navigation. Use a smaller font and non-obtrusive colors. With the exception of directory sites such as Yahoo or the Google directory, where the path can be presented as primary information.

The ubiquitous term Bread crumb is confusing and leads to incorrect assumptions (Donald Norman would say: creates a wrong mental model) - some people think that bread crumbs show the path the user has taken so far. So I propose the new term Homeward path. -- ArthurClemens - 01 Jul 2003

• The ubiquitous term Bread crumb is confusing and leads to incorrect assumptions (Donald Norman would say: creates a wrong mental model) - some people think that bread crumbs show the path the user has taken so far. So I propose the new term Homeward path. -- ArthurClemens - 01 Jul 2003

The study in the article Breadcrumb Navigation: An Exploratory Study of Usage shows that usage of the Homeward path is low, and that users did not navigate more efficiently.

• The study in the article Breadcrumb Navigation: An Exploratory Study of Usage (Feb 2003, publ. May 2003) shows that usage of the Breadcrumb is low, and that users using breadcrumbs did not navigate more efficiently. The usability research was limited in scale (2 sites) and needs to be expanded to reach definite conclusions.

Textual cues in the path. -- http://www.annefrank.nl/werkstukwijzer (Jul 2003)

Textual cues in the path. -- http://www.annefrank.nl/werkstukwijzer (Jul 2003, design by Lost Boys, Mar 2003)

Homeward path near the search box. -- http://www.apple.com (Jul 2003)

Homeward path at the bottom of the page, near the search box. -- http://www.apple.com (Jul 2003)

Yahoo offers a double path. The upper path functions as page title and repeats the last 2 items from the page path. -- http://www.yahoo.com

Yahoo offers a double path. The upper path functions as page title and repeats the last 2 items from the page path. -- http://www.yahoo.com (Jul 2003)

When the user performs a search he does not use the main navigation but jumps directly to a page.

When the user performs a search, he does not use the main navigation but jumps directly to a page, so he can loose orientation easily.

On complex websites (3 or more levels), pages need to show a secundary navigation that reveals the location of the page regarding to the homepage.

On websites with 3 levels or more, users need a fallback navigation method.

When the site hierarchy is 3 levels or more.

On all sites with 3 levels or more.

More examples

Examples

Amazon uses a local path. -- http://amazon.com

Amazon uses a local path. -- http://amazon.com (Jul 2003)

Textual cues in the path. -- http://www.annefrank.nl/werkstukwijzer

Textual cues in the path. -- http://www.annefrank.nl/werkstukwijzer (Jul 2003)

Homeward path near the search box. -- http://www.apple.com

Homeward path near the search box. -- http://www.apple.com (Jul 2003)

Local path in product section. -- http://www.nokia.com

Local path in product section. -- http://www.nokia.com (Jul 2003)

Confusing Homeward path: looks like main navigation. -- http://www.noord.amsterdam.nl

Confusing Homeward path: looks like main navigation. -- http://www.noord.amsterdam.nl (Jul 2003)

Provide a textual cue, such as You are here:, so the meaning of the row of links is easy to understand. You can also insert text cues before each link (see Anne Frank below).

Use an obvious separator that suggests a sequential order, like > or / or :

Homeward path is most often used at the top of the page, but sometimes you find them at the bottom of the page (see Apple below). In that case it should be placed near the search box.

A vertical listing is confusing because it looks like a menu.

Homeward path does not always link back to the homepage, but a local path is used instead (see examples from Amazon and Nokia).

The links should always be presented as secundary information to the main navigation. Use a smaller font and non-obtrusive colors.

• Provide a textual cue, such as You are here:, so the meaning of the row of links is easy to understand. You can also insert text cues before each link (see Anne Frank below).
• Use an obvious separator that suggests a sequential order, like > or / or :
• Homeward path is most often used at the top of the page, but sometimes you find them at the bottom of the page (see Apple below). In that case it should be placed near the search box.
• A vertical listing is confusing because it looks like a menu.
• Homeward path does not always link back to the homepage, but a local path is used instead (see examples from Amazon and Nokia).
• The links should always be presented as secundary information to the main navigation. Use a smaller font and non-obtrusive colors.

The ubiquitous term Bread crumb is confusing and leads to incorrect assumptions (Donald Norman would say: wrong mental model) - some people think that bread crumbs show the path the user has taken so far. So I propose the new term Homeward path. -- ArthurClemens - 01 Jul 2003

The ubiquitous term Bread crumb is confusing and leads to incorrect assumptions (Donald Norman would say: creates a wrong mental model) - some people think that bread crumbs show the path the user has taken so far. So I propose the new term Homeward path. -- ArthurClemens - 01 Jul 2003

The site's main navigation does not always show how a page is related to other pages. Sites can have multiple navigation schemes, or a two-level tab navigation that hides the actual complexity of the site.

The site's main navigation does not always show how a page is related to other pages. A site can have multiple navigation schemes, or a two-level tab navigation that hides the actual complexity of the site.

Also known as: Bread crumb, Trail marker.

http://amazon.com - Uses a local path.

Also known as: Bread crumb, Trail marker.

Yahoo offers a double path. The upper path functions as page title and repeats the last 2 items from the page path. -- http://www.yahoo.com

The main navigation does not always show how the current page is related to other pages. Sites can have multiple navigation schemes, or a two-level tab navigation that hides the actual complexity of the site.

The site's main navigation does not always show how a page is related to other pages. Sites can have multiple navigation schemes, or a two-level tab navigation that hides the actual complexity of the site.

http://www.annefrank.nl/werkstukwijzer - Uses textual cues inbetween links.

http://www.apple.com - Homeward path near the search box.

http://www.nokia.com - Local path in product section.

http://www.noord.amsterdam.nl - Confusing Homeward path: looks like main navigation.

-- ArthurClemens - 01 Jul 2003

-- ArthurClemens - 03 Jul 2003

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http://amazon.com - Uses a local path.

http://amazon.com - Uses a local path.

Home > Level 1 > Level 2 > Level 3 > Current page

You are here: Home > Level 1 > Level 2 > Level 3 > Current page

A vertical listing like Amsterdam Noord is confusing because it looks like a menu.

A vertical listing is confusing because it looks like a menu.

to write...

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