Why We’re Standardizing Menu Terminology
Inconsistent menus — where different parts of a site use different labels for the same content — can confuse users, slow down navigation, and undermine trust in the site. That’s why we’re launching an effort to standardize menu terminology and structure across all units.
Simplified, predictable menu labels and consistent structure help ensure that:
- Users can find information quickly and intuitively, even if they land on an unfamiliar section of the site. This aligns with core principles of navigation design in UX.
- Navigation is clear and accessible for all users — including those with disabilities, or those who rely on keyboard navigation or assistive technologies.
- Our web presence feels professional, cohesive, and trustworthy — reflecting positively on our brand.
What We’re Doing: Adopting a Shared Navigation Vocabulary
We’re following a structured approach.
- We’ve defined a core set of approved menu labels (e.g. “About,” “Academics,” “Admissions,” “Resources,” etc.) — and a corresponding list of disallowed or discouraged alternatives (e.g. “About Us,” “Departments,” “Costs & Financial Aid,” etc.). This ensures consistency across all sections of the site.
- We recommend limiting the number of primary menu items — following the “less is more” principle. For example, UIS recommends no more than seven primary menu items.
- When units/divisions have overlapping or similar content, we encourage merging items where appropriate (e.g. combining “News” and “Events,” or placing “Contact” under “About”) to avoid clutter and redundancy.
- For sub-menus or local navigation (pages below top level), we encourage using the same approved vocabulary when applicable, but also allow flexibility when necessary — especially when dealing with formal/official names of offices or units.
By standardizing at both top-level and sub-navigation, we make the overall site easier to maintain, update, and scale — while also giving users a reliable, predictable structure.
How We’ll Roll This Out
- Audit existing sites & menus — review all current menus across units, and map their labels to the approved vocabulary (or flag exceptions when official/formal names are required).
- Update top-level menus first — simplify and reduce to core approved items where possible; merge or rename when needed.
- Ensure sub-navigation alignment — where sub-pages exist, label them using the approved terminology when appropriate.
- Communicate the guidelines to all web content editors, so future content follows the same structure.
- Monitor and iterate — solicit feedback from users and editors; revise where needed. Consider metrics like click-through rates, user feedback, and bounce rates to gauge whether navigation changes improve usability. This kind of iterative approach is a best practice in navigation design.
Action Items
No actions items are required for editors. The web and marketing teams are coordinating efforts to make the menu title updates across the uis.edu website.
Conclusion
Standardizing menus isn’t just about clean design — it’s about usability, accessibility, and building a unified web presence. By aligning our terminology, structure, and navigation approach across all web units, we make it easier for users to find what they need — and for us to manage and maintain a consistent, professional, user-friendly site.
We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and feedback as we work through this process. If you have any questions or concerns about this update, please email the web team.