Plan your site by creating a flowchart that shows the structure and logic behind the content presentation and navigation choices you offer. You can sketch your site with paper and pencil or create it using flowcharting software. Sometimes it is helpful to use sticky notes or cards to plan the structures visually. This method lets you easily move pages from one section or level to another. Whichever method you choose, this preliminary planning step is one of the most important that you take planning your site. You can move pages and whole sections of content freely, plan navigation paths, and visualize the entire site. This is the time to experiment. Once you have started coding the site it will be much more difficult and time consuming to go back and make major changes. Remember to create and stick to the file naming conventions for each of your pages as well. Linear Structure

The linear Web design information structure, illustrated lets you guide the users along a path. This structure lends itself to book-type presentations, or content that requires the user to follow a predefines path. Once into the content, users, can navigate backwards or forwards within the content path. Each page can contain a link back to the main page if desired. Pages may contain links to a related subtopic link. This structured navigation returns them to the same point in the content path.

Tutorial Structure

The tutorial structure illustrated is perfect for computer-based training content such as lessons, tutorials, or task-oriented procedures.

The tutorial structure builds on the simple linear structure. The user navigates in a linear manner, progressing through the concept, lesson, and review pages in order. Because the lesson exists in hypertext, users can leave the lesson structure and return at any time. They also can choose the order of lessons, and start at any main concept point they wish. Notice that the table of contents, index, and site map pages are linked to and from all pages in the course. Within each lesson users can navigates as necessary to familiarize themselves with the content before they reviews. This structure can be adapted to fit the content needs. For example, the group of pages in the illustration could be one section of a larger training course.

Web Structure

Many smaller Web sites design follow the content structure illustrated whish offers links to and from every page in the site. This allows the user to jump freely to any page from any other page. If you build a Web type of content structure, make sure to include on each page clear location information and a standardized navigation bar that not only tells the user where they are where they can go.

Hierarchical Structure

The hierarchical structure illustrated is probably the most common information design. It lends itself to larger content collections because the section pages break up and organize the content at different levels throughout the site. Navigation primarily is linear within the content page of their choice. When they finish reading the content, they can return to the section page. The site map allows users to navigate freely throughout the site. Include a navigation bar on each page that lets the jump to any section page, the main page, and the site map.

Author Bio: Raj Patel is an experienced link builder with Outsource SEO Services a professional search engine optimization outsourcing and outsource search engine marketing company.