Is consistency really the hobgoblin of little minds?
Ralph Waldo Emerson said that it was, but on the Web, I’m not so sure. I’ve always advocated consistency in design and navigation for three reasons:
1. Usability – Users start learning about your site upon their very first visit. If each subsequent page looks and works the same, the site is just easier for them to use. Not that they can’t figure out changes in navigation or design, but why make them do that?
2. Resources – When you take the general design and navigation off the table, discussions on new sections of the site are far easier, as is the development. One healthcare system got more development done in five months than the previous two years, just by adopting a consistent design and navigation.
3. Branding – Your Web site is your online brand. If various entities within your organization have different online brands, it’s the same as having a different logo for each entity. Branding experts would tell you to just say no.
From the earliest days of the Internet, consistent design and navigation has been touted as a “best practice.” So why do I see so many sites that change radically in design and navigation from section to section? And why do I see it more in healthcare than just about any other field?
Or do you think I’ve got a little mind, and am worried about insignificant things?