“You Are Here” Indicators – Notes on User Experience

I was recently presented with a web application for evaluation and I was surprised to see that what we think as a "Usability Basic Principle" was poorly executed. The use of “You Are Here” indicators.

It is important to let the users know at all times where they are. A user may lose track while browsing through your website or using your application and unless they know where they are, they will abandon the task and leave your site… frustrated!

What to do:

• Display a Clear Page Title – Use the highest visual hierarchy for the title in your content and always present it in the same place.
  
  
• Indicate the Location in the Navigation – Highlight/differentiate in the Menu and Sub-menus where the user is.

Other ways to let the user know their location in your site: 

• Use Breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs are a powerful navigation tool that also help communicate where users are in relationship with the rest of the site/application and the path they took to get where they are now.
  
  
• Use Progress Indicators – Let users know their progress during a process or while filling a multiple-page form.

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