Some Thoughts on Web Navigation
My first blog entry will focus on the concept of web navigation. How easy is a website to use? Can you make your way through a website without difficulty? Is it so important that every website has to have a flashy, efficient layout? For the purposes of this entry, I will take a look at two different sports related websites, and see just how each one stacks up.
Due up at the top of the order is none other than Uni-Watch. I've been a fan of the site for years now, and it centers around the things that many sports fans might take for granted, what teams wear. By clicking on the logo, you will be redirected to the Uni-Watch site, where you can get a better understanding of the layout. Right off the bat you'll notice the look of the site. It follows the same color scheme as the logo, which comes as no surprise the more you get to know Uni-Watch founder Paul Lukas. Essentially, the site serves as a way for sports fans to stay up to date with the latest news regarding uniforms/logos, but it often times also serves as a bit of a blog, with either Lukas or his team posting something interesting related to uniforms for the main article. As far as the navigation is concerned, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Much like this site, the navigation is pretty straight forward. The site's navigation is found at the top of the page, right above the first headline. It's simple, yet effective. I also like that Lukas has linked to his ESPN column, as he is a columnist for their site as well.
There are certain things that I don't like about the site. I don't like that each article is simply laid out one after another. On the mobile site it's much better. Each headline is listed on the mobile site, and you simply select which article you want to go to. Moreover, I don't care for the layout in terms of where the ads are placed. It feels too hectic to try to look have so many different things on screen at once. That being said, there are no ads on the mobile version of the site, which also features a better navigation tool in my opinion. It's a bit difficult to explain it unless you check it out for yourself, but the navigation tool can be found in the upper right hand corner on the mobile version.
On deck is "The Worldwide Leader in Sports", ESPN. How would ESPN's website compare to Uni-Watch's? Like before you can click on the logo to visit the site in order to form your own opinions, but personally I'm a big fan of how their website is laid out. At the very top of the page is a ticker, listing various sports scores from across the world. You can also select which scores you want displayed on the ticker, as opposed to seeing all of them. Likewise, you can navigate which particular sport you want to visit on the page with an easy to use toolbar below the ticker. The day's top headlines are listed front and center, and a social media feed can be seen on the right hand side of the screen. The mobile version is essentially the same, though you can't view the social feed at the same time as the news. Overall, it's a pretty great site. Easy to use, and easy to find what you're looking for. If I'm looking for info on the Carolina Panthers, it takes me all of five seconds to find their team page. You can't get much better than that.
So where does that leave us? Would I say that ESPN's site is better because it's easier to navigate, or because it's flashier? Not necessarily. An important part in building a website is understanding what your website is about, and who it is for. Part of why I love Uni-Watch so much is the way the website is set up. I usually only visit the site on my phone, but I love how the mobile version of the site works. The posts are listed by their headline, making it simple to go straight to the one I want to look at. Also, reading the articles, complete with their clickable images, is very straightforward and simple on the mobile version. It's not exactly groundbreaking, but it doesn't have to be. I go to Uni-Watch to learn, and to see. It's a straightforward site, with straightforward navigation. I think it works.
That being said, ESPN's website is fantastic. Since it is "The Worldwide Leader in Sports", ESPN's site should feature easy navigation for all sports fans. For example, I just watched my first cricket match the other day, and am trying to gain a better appreciation for the sport. Even though it hasn't exactly caught on in the United States, it took me no time at all to find the cricket page on ESPN's website. ESPN's site serves fans of every major sport, and thus it covers every major sport. Easy navigation of the site is crucial, and they managed to do it in both an efficient and aesthetically pleasing way.
Though the two sites cover similar topics, they both tackle website navigation in different ways. For each, I think it works.
