Experimental Navigation
Experimental navigation in websites refers to the use of innovative and unconventional navigation patterns. These patterns can be more engaging and visually appealing than traditional navigation, but they can also be more challenging to learn and use.
Some examples of experimental navigation patterns include:
- Interactive navigation: This type of navigation requires users to perform some kind of action, such as clicking on a button, dragging a slider, or speaking a command, to navigate to the desired page.
- Gesture navigation: This type of navigation allows users to navigate using gestures, such as swiping, tapping, or tilting their device.
- Voice navigation: This type of navigation allows users to navigate using voice commands.
- Context-aware navigation: This type of navigation adapts to the user’s current context, such as their location or browsing history, to provide relevant navigation options.
Experimental navigation can be used to create a more unique and engaging user experience, but it is important to use it carefully. If the navigation is too difficult to learn or use, it can frustrate users and drive them away from your website.
Here are some tips for using experimental navigation effectively:
- Make sure the navigation is intuitive and easy to learn. Users should be able to figure out how to navigate your website without having to read instructions.
- Provide clear feedback to users. Let users know how their actions are affecting the navigation.
- Give users a way to fall back on traditional navigation. If users are struggling with the experimental navigation, they should be able to switch to a more traditional navigation pattern.
- Test your navigation with users. Before you launch your website, test the navigation with users to make sure it is easy to learn and use.
Here are some examples of websites that use experimental navigation effectively:
- Waltz Creative: This website uses a “mock” horizontal scrolling effect.
- Brutalist Websites: This website uses a variety of experimental navigation patterns, such as interactive navigation and voice navigation.
- Google AI Test Kitchen: This website allows users to experiment with different types of AI-powered navigation.
Experimental navigation can be a great way to make your website stand out from the crowd and create a more engaging user experience. However, it is important to use it carefully and to make sure that the navigation is easy to learn and use.