I have found no situation where I could not find an alternative to anchor links - save for the stubbornness of CD or client.
Anchor links, like pop-up windows, are a crutch. I have seen them consistently used as a quick fix to a problem that web site designers have. I’ve never seen them suggested as a response to a user problem. The situation typically comes up where the volume of content on a page creates a certain amount of scrolling. A person or persons on the internal team gets nervous that users will not scroll and declares that anchor links are needed. An argument/discussion ensues on whether users will or won’t scroll. Someone will ask the UX professional how many screens someone will scroll. Someone else will declare that users don’t scroll. Someone will say that they scroll and someone else will say they don’t.
The conversation turns back to anchor links and the UX professional is now challenged to prove that anchor links are not the solution.
The UX professional scrambles and if they’ve seen users struggle with the disorientation produced by anchor links, they recall these experiences for the team. The fate of the page now lies with the persuasive skills of the UX professional. They may not remember exactly what happened in those sessions. They may invoke the name of Jakob Nielsen and his thoughts on anchor links. They may even like anchor links themselves, but know that they are professional Web surfers who build sites from the inside out and are trained to use anchor links without thinking.
A designer, tired of this senseless discussion may offer an elegant suggestion on how the anchor links can be visually incorporated. A developer, who just wants to finish the project will explain how quickly anchor links can be built in.
Ultimately, someone at a senior level makes a decision and the anchor links are applied.
And the UX professional is wondering what the hell happened and what their contribution has been, other than adding to the expense of the project.
Well, UX professional, here’s some things that can help you out.
Understanding the problem
- The issue is not anchor links. It’s good Information Architecture. The first question to ask is: Does all the content belong on the page?
- To answer that, ask these two questions:
- Is it all about the same topic?
- Is it all at the same level of specificity?
No, I can not Show you a ‘Study’ That Proves That
Often a UX professional is asked for quantitative statistical data to back up their recommendations. This data usually never exists because no one’s going to spend $50,000 to learn interface design questions. Quantitative studies like that are commissioned to learn things that will either make or save people money. Such as which Creative banner treatment to flight, what new products should be added to a company inventory, what messaging is effective, which actor is relatable in a commercial. Compared to questions like that, a Product Manager isn’t going to ask for budget to find out whether a drop-down menu is the way to go. Nor will a research company drop the coin necessary to recruit a panel or flight a survey to learn these things because no one’s going to pay $700 a seat for that report, nor will they pay $5000 dollars a day to bring in a Consultant to walk through the report. So, that’s not going to happen. But - there actually is quantitative data on whether people scroll or not. It’s usually proprietary, but it comes from many sources.
Scrolling
If you’ve got a long page of content, rest assured that people scroll. It happens during Usability Testing. It happens in real life. Avenue A | Razorfish’s Advanced Optimization can tell you. Omniture has tools to let you know. Crazy Egg and ClickTale can show you: people scroll. Have no doubt. Although you may get some kooks who try to argue against those thousands of examples by pointing out that your site is different. It’s true, but people’s brains aren’t. See: Cognitive Psychology for more.
If it’s Interesting, People will be Interested
When do they scroll? Well that depends. Jared Spool will tell you that people scroll when it looks like there’s something to scroll to. Meaning: unless the page looks like it ends, people will figure out say, seeing just the top half of a sentence means that maybe some scrolling is necessary to read that sentence. I say that people will scroll if they’re interested in what you’ve written.
Stop Guessing. Start Testing
It’s that simple, but that’s a qualitative assessment and that type of situation is one that many people don’t want to have to endure. That’s the job of the UX professional. Take on the tough jobs and make it look easy. But, really, make it easy. Just ask your user. Don’t guess, don’t suppose or hypothesize. You’ll likely get it wrong. God forbid you get it right a few times, people will ask you instead of your users and you’ll have made it much harder to convince people of the need for Usability Testing. And you’ll be forever burdened with predicting if Bob in Peoria is going to click here or there. So, watch users. See if they scroll.
In Summary
Don’t get trapped in a line of discourse that isn’t relevant. Solve the problems of users, not Web design teams. Follow the rules of good Information Architecture and stand by them. Know that people scroll. Use testing to answer questions of usability. And if possible, just skip anchors. They’re annoying and a good indication of lazy work.
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