Websites & patient experience · Website help · Navigation mechanics

Distinguish primary, section and utility navigation

A page can expose several navigation regions with the same generic name. Screen reader users hear repeated Navigation entries without knowing which contains the links they need.

What to change

Ask for distinct, concise names for navigation regions whose purposes differ, while keeping visible organisation equally clear.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A visitor can choose Primary navigation for main sections or Service navigation for related service pages instead of exploring several identically named regions.

How to check the result

Accept when repeated navigation areas have understandable identities and their contents match those identities across templates.

A mistake to avoid

Naming every region after its screen position becomes confusing when responsive layouts move that region somewhere else.

Your action checklist

Use these checks to prepare a discussion with your team or supplier. Tick a check when you have recorded the decision or evidence, rather than when a feature has simply been promised.

Decisions to record

Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Download your notes before leaving; the page does not save them.

Healthcare website design showing connected desktop and mobile service and enquiry layouts.
Make the service and next step clear on every screen.
Healthcare website accessibility illustrated by a focus outline, keyboard key, contrast samples and form.
Review keyboard access, contrast and understandable form fields.
Healthcare website testing with desktop and mobile forms, a checklist and success and error states.
Check complete journeys and explain failures clearly.

Further reading

These primary sources provide additional context for the project decisions above.

Related decisions

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