WebSitesAreJourneysNotStructures

Many sites have suffered thanks to DeathByHierarchyAndGoodIntentions.

Not one person will experience your web site as you designed it. Stop thinking about your site as a structure, a hierarchy... because it isn't. The structure only exists in your mind. Hopefully the structure you have created overlaps with a visitors MentalModel, but stop believing that there is a direct match.

The Visitor probably won't start at the home page, then logically follow all the navigation in the order it appears on screen. They will probably "start" deep in the site. In fact, the first point of "contact" in the whole experience will probably be your site as shown in Google listings. See the diagram below that shows how a CustomerJourney may unfold, from Google listing to becoming a customer.

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Now, take your UseCases and see how you are creating fulfilling journeys.

See external: An Introduction To User Journeys∞