FAQ Submission: Global Gateway

Hi all,

Included below is an FAQ submission for review and input. This is one 
of possible several that could be devoted to navigation advice. There 
are also three visuals used as part of the FAQ; these are attached.

Thanks.
John Yunker

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Question

I plan to use a pull-down menu on my company's home page to direct Web 
users to their country Web sites, Are there any best practices I should 
be aware of?

 
Background

As companies launch an increasing number of country and/or language Web 
sites, user-friendly global navigation grows in importance. The term 
"global gateway" is frequently used to refer to the visual and 
technical devices that Web sites employ to direct visitors to their 
specific locales. One of the more popular devices is a pull-down menu 
on the home page that includes links to the other locales.


Answer

The pull-down menu is not a silver bullet for global navigation and it 
may not be the best solution for your Web site. If your site supports 
only a handful of locales, it is better to avoid using a pull-down menu 
altogether and simply include links directly to these sites. Also, if 
your company offers more than 20 locales, a pull-down menu may not be 
the most usable solution, as it results in endless scrolling for Web 
users from Venezuala, the US, among others. Instead, consider using a 
splash page that includes all locales organized by region. See Ikea.com 
or 3com.com for reference.


However, if you do decide to use a pull-down menu, here are some best 
practices to keep in mind:

 1. Locate the pull-down menu at the top of all Web pages, preferably 
to the right side. This location is highly visible, reducing the chance 
that the visitor will not find it. Furthermore, an increasing number of 
Web sites have located their global gateways in this location, 
condition Web users to come to expect it here.

2. Do not put the US at the top of the menu. Many Web sites, 
particularly those that have very long pull-down menus, place the US at 
the top of the list to save their US visitors from scrolling to the 
bottom of the list. FedEx, shown below, includes the US at the top of 
the menu. (image: fedex.jpg) Unfortunately, doing this sends the wrong 
message to all other Web visitors. In order to convey the image of a 
global company, you must treat users from all locales equally.

3. Translate the menu options as necessary. Instead of including a link 
on the pull-down menu that reads, for example, "French" the link should 
read "Francais." Details like this make a big difference in ensuring 
truly global usability. Note that due to font and character set 
limitations, text display of non-Roman languages isn't always 
practical. In these cases, the Web site may include links to these 
languages separate from the pull down menu, as demonstrated by the 
Symantec Web site. (image: symantec.gif)

4. Include an icon of a globe or map next to the pull-down menu. You 
cannot expect Web users who are not fluent in English to understand 
"Select language." Icons speak to users regardless of what language 
they speak. See the example below from the Philips Web site. (image: 
philips.jpg)

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