[drupal-docs] Drupal navigation tutorial

[Kieran Lal]

On Mar 24, 2005, at 3:46 PM, Richard Eriksson wrote:

> On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 13:16:31 -0800, Kieran Lal
> <kieran at civicspacelabs.org> wrote:
>> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/navigationtutorial
>
> If I understand it correctly, this document is going to be part of
> documentation packaged with CivicSpace?  Hence the direct links to
> administration pages?  If not, then the paths to getting to the
> administration pages would need to be spelled out.  Some brief notes
> about each page (I just clicked "next" as I went along reading it).
Yes, I think it's best to be able to link directly into your sites  
administration menu.

>
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8885 could use links for each
> individual item in case the reader wants to skip ahead
done
>
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8883 it's a little hard to
> 'read'.  Do users who are about to follow a tutorial get a lot out of
> a flow chart?
moved to appendix and replaced by a link.

> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/UsefulNavigation this might be
> better suited as an appendix?
I probably need to re-write it again.  Without an understanding of the  
principles of usability and how to design your site, the configuration  
know how is useless.
>
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8875 should be page two.  I
> love the short descriptions of Drupal terminology we power-users take
> for granted (I hear Boris' voice echoing in my head, saying "the
> glossary module would be perfect for this").
thanks, I think I got at least part of that from your site ;-)

>
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8876 could possibly use
> screenshots of the sites linked at the bottom.
I opted not to because the pictures don't come across well.  I also  
want to encourage users to poke around other sites.
>
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8877 might be better suited
> as an appendix, linked from
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8875
Done.
>
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8886 ditto
I'll have to get a second opinion.  I want to walk the users around a  
site.  I don't think a text description is adequate.  Perhaps a podcast  
or video would be ideal here.
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8878 7 clicks to get to the
> first how-to instructions is 5 too many.  This would work well as the
> third page.
Agreed, I added several links throughout the site, including the front  
page.
>
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8888 the items in the list
> could use links if users want to skip directly to the instructions
done
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8891http:// 
> beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8893
> and http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8880 are step-by-step, so
> should probably have an ordered (numbered) list rather than an
> unordered (bulletted) list.
done
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8892 could maybe use some
> step-by-step elaboration of the points in the unordered list
done
> http://beta.civicspacelabs.org/home/node/8894 (has "Create menu items"
> repeated?)
Re-wrote it to be an ordered list with clearer instructions.
> You might benefit from the text and/or ideas at
> http://support.bryght.com/adminguide/how-to/dynamic-web20-brochure- 
> site-in-an-hour
> written by Roland Tanglao.
Yes, I wish I had that as a template in mind when I started.  But I do  
like my live links into the administration section better. :-)

> That is, if I understand the bits
> encouraging creating some 'static' navigation pages correctly.
Yes, a lot of people complain that drupal sites all look the same.    
The folks at downhill battle recently were talking with Drumm  
complaining that CMS were too constraining.  Chris Messina has some CSS  
and template code that turns off the theme for the CSL home page.  We  
need to make it a lot easier for designers to add pages to Drupal  
exactly as they design them.
> There's definitely a need for a 'best-practice' on creating a
> navigation structure for different types of sites using Drupal
> distributions, and Kieran, your tutorial is a step forward. :)

I am starting work on creating default Information Architectures for  
CivicSpace sites.   The idea would be to have the top 50 pages  
pre-configured and well designed including the most popular  
applications.  It seems like almost every Drupal site turns on their  
blocks and leaves them on.  I think we can design a selection of better  
product starting points that target different users.  As Dave Greenberg  
suggested a site for environmentalists, artists, non-profits, etc.  I  
am meeting with the author of a popular Information Architecture book  
who has offered to volunteer to help us out.  I have had four  
professional Usability people express interest in volunteering for  
CivicSpace. I am hoping to recruit more at http://www.chi2005.org

Also, I am still looking for volunteers to actually step through the  
tutorial and tell me where it's unclear.  Contact me for an account and  
password.

Once, again. Thanks for you help.

Kieran
> -- 
> Richard Eriksson
> Bryght Community Support
> http://support.bryght.com/
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