Washingtonpost.com yesterday announced the launch of a new version of the publication's home page. The redesign eliminates left navigation in favor of a top navigation style with roll-down menus. The
adjustment allows for an uncluttered, user-friendly look and the ability to include more news and multimedia content. The design change was made in response to research that showed a strong
preference for a single navigational tool, according to a company statement. Testers in that study rated the site higher in ease of use, finding content, and overall site quality when using top
navigation only. Users were also more likely to view the full home page in the absence of left navigation.
--G.O.