A key element of accessible website development is a clean, consistent navigation system coupled with a recognised, usable layout.
Don’t try and re-invent the wheel here. A clean, consistent navigation system and page layout allows users to instantly find important information and allows them to quickly find comfort in their new surroundings especially if the visitor is completely new to your website.
Visitors don’t always land on your home page – every page on your website is a potential landing page. Ensure when a visitor lands on any page, they are presented with simple options to go to the pages you want them to go to. Simple, clear calls to action that encourage a user to visit specific pages. Remember too, that just because you have a lot of pages on your site, that does not mean you need a mega-menu. You do not need to give visitors the option to go to every page from their entry point. You do not need a massive drop down menu either. Spend the time and invest in a simple site navigation menu and a solid site structure.
A traditional layout (2 or 3 columns, with a header and a footer) is excellent for accessible website design, especially for information sites.
Remember to use CSS for all elements of style, including layout and navigation.
UK Government recommendations:
Presentation, content and navigation should be consistent throughout the website
Guidelines for UK Government websites
Illustrated handbook for Web management teams
