Some of these practices are rooted in common sense, others in human interface guidelines developed during the personal computer revolution of the 1980s. We will examine these guidelines in the following sections, bearing in mind that they are suggestions, not rules. Interface as Architecture Navigation is the experiential architecture of a site. Web designers use consistent visual cues to guide visitors through the site, as an architect guides a building's visitors from the lobby to the elevator bank. Subtle visual hints cue a building's visitors as to which areas of an office are open to the public, and which are private.
Folks can find their way to a bathroom or a public telephone without asking for help.
The goal of a navigational interface, like the goal of real-world architecture, is to enable people to do what they need to do. As you develop Web interfaces, ask yourself if you're helping people find the site's offices, elevators, and bathrooms or leaving them to fend for themselves.