3: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Page Performance in Java

Draw PDF417 in Java 3: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Page Performance

Pages that you need to build How pages relate to each other Navigation elements that you need As a bonus, a site map provides you with a checklist of pages For example, Figure 3-1 shows part of the site map for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Web site (wwwirsgov/sitemap)

This map shows that the IRS site includes numerous main sections Each main sections displays anywhere from 2 to 26 subsections Each subsection links to a page or a document pertinent to that subsection s topics and coverage

If you plan to build your Web site a page or section at a time, you can create a map of the final site and then decide which pages make the most sense to build first When you have a good working idea of how your site will grow, you can plan for further expansion during each stage For example, suppose you create a site map for your company s Web site and the site needs an FAQ section If the FAQ section isn t quite finished when the site launches, disaster need not ensue provided someone planned ahead to accommodate new sections and built that capability into the site Just leave out links to (and mentions of) the FAQ section when you launch the site When the FAQ section is ready: Add the section to the site Add a link to the main navigation elements If you know resources are coming, you can create a navigation scheme that accommodates the FAQ section when it s ready to go Without a site map and a complete plan for the site, however, integrating new sections can require lots of time and effort

Don t create under construction sections that don t include anything except a hint that something might appear someday Users are disappointed if your site hints at information it doesn t really offer Instead, consider using a small section of your home page to highlight coming soon items so visitors know new information will be available later, but don t integrate anything that s inaccessible into your navigation bar or buttons

Give visitors as many options as you (realistically) can to help them navigate around your site because people use many approaches to find stuff: Some people like to be led Some people like to rummage around Some people like to see every possible option and choose one Site maps grow as your site grows If your site is large and complex, your map may take several screens to display When you surf the Web, massive sites, such as wwwmicrosoftcom, wwwhpcom, and wwwamazoncom, don t offer site maps because maps of their sites would be huge and unwieldy But smaller Web sites (such as wwwsymanteccom) use site maps effectively You need to decide whether a site map is a good navigation tool for your site Here are some points to ponder as you make this decision:

A site map may be unnecessary if you have only a few pages A site map may be the best choice if Your site has several sections You can t think of other easy ways to access your content Many experts believe that site maps are always good They re especially good for visitors who surf the Web using assistive devices (screen readers, Braille printers, and so forth) Site maps are also handy for navigating a site that lacks footer links or that uses graphics instead of HTML markup as a navigation technique Site maps also help users who ve turned their browser s JavaScript functions off (sites that use rollover images for navigation become unusable in that case) As an added bonus, site maps also help search engines map all the pages on a site, too