UX Fail #10: Take me home!

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Back to the home page

Home navigation via logo is standard in UX concepts for quite some time now. However, it is by far not known to all users - and the way back to the home page is correspondingly difficult.

What exactly is the problem?

  • The navigation back to the home page of a website can be done in different ways, e.g. via the breadcrumb, via a "home" link or a house icon.
  • All of the options mentioned have the advantage that they are known from many other websites and can also be used by people who don't know them: the breadcrumb shows the navigation route, home and house are understood as the way back to the home page.
  • With the logo click it looks different: Firstly, not all websites have a recognizable logo. Secondly, the logo is not always positioned at the same position on the website, although there are numerous studies showing that users expect it to be in the upper left corner. Thirdly, a logo does not show any indication that a click leads to the homepage.
  • The users who are not familiar with this trick will find their way home at best by chance, via detours (browser back) - or not at all..

Recommendations from usability research:

  • Retain conventional alternatives ("Home"/"Home"-link, house-icon, etc.), so that even those who are not familiar with the logo click find their way home.
  • Don't hand over the responsibility to the users by letting them navigate laboriously via "Browser Back". The path may be too long; with form entries, filter settings and selections there is also the risk of data loss.

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Sandra Schuster

General Manager

089 7404205565