Tab based interfaces...they just suck

January 30, 2001

What's up with the popularity of tab based interfaces on web sites and the use of DHTML navigation just because its cool? PeopleSoft's site is a great example of pushing a physical metaphor to the limit of reality on the web. The problem with this approach is that as a user I don't have an idea what the most important piece of navigation is on the site.

Adding to the issue is the fact that there are more than 10 navigational elements on the header. As any interface designer with a human factors background will tell you, the absolute limit in navigation is 8 plus or minus 2 nav items. This means that the human mind can process eight distinct pieces of information without having to actively think about where they go. In navigation this translates to intuitiveness and ease of use. Unfortunately sites like PeopleSoft just don't cut it beacuse their metaphor forces users to think and thus is counter-intuitive.