Conclusion - II

There are three main navigation paradigms: flat & broad like the one used by Yahoo which was very popular initially, narrow & deep like the one used by Google which became popular due to the success of Google and the desire to imitate them, and hybrid like the one used by Luristic which is currently the paradigm of choice which is gaining ground over the other two paradigms.

Navigation is achieved by using Rich Interactive Components (RIC), which offer interaction, collaboration, personalization, customization, shortcuts, and recommendations based on analyses and intelligent behaviors. There are four criteria necessary to attaining rich navigation, namely: providing a variety of components, matching every component with the appropriate function or content, matching every component with the appropriate persona, and making every component interactive, immersive, and pleasing.

Choosing the right paradigms and the corresponding appropriate RICs cannot be done in vacuum. The selection must be based on the type of content, platform, devices, data volume, functions, space, personas, taxonomy, visibility, universality, and consistency.

Finally, rich navigation offers many important benefits to users and marketers. Specifically, rich navigation enhances browsing, discovery, usage, clarity, productivity, confidence, trust, and loyalty. In addition, Rich navigation offers a great ROI because when users are satisfied, a brand solidifies, gains market share, and increases market penetration, which makes marketers very happy.