Links are the way users navigate throughout the topics in your Help system. Links connect topics and make them accessible. Links also group topics, so users can see the relationships between them.
There are many different types of links that you can create, but here are the most common:
Jumps. These are the most common and most familiar type of link. They are called jumps because when the user clicks one, the Help system "jumps" to another topic. You can use jumps to link topics within the Help system, from one Help system to another, or even to a site on the Internet or intranet.
Popups. Popups are so named because they "pop up" in a little window over the main window. Often, popups are used to define words or display notes or tips. Popups are also used to display context-sensitive Help topics from inside an application - users click on the Help button and the application displays a topic relating to the context of where they are in the application or what they're trying to do.
Hotspot images. You can create clickable images that display a topic or jump to one or more topics. These images can add interest and spark to your Help system. You can also take advantage of the truth that "a picture is worth a thousand words" by using clickable images consistent with your design. For example, rather than using the word "tip" in your content, you can include a picture that consistently represents a tip (such as a light bulb). This image provides a quick visual clue to users that the information is a tip.
Browse sequences. You add browse sequences to provide a path for viewing topics in a certain order. You group the topics in a particular order, and then you make that order available using the browse buttons in the Help window. Browse sequences provide a way for users to see and move around a group of Help topics. They are especially useful for tutorials and online training guides where users read information and perform actions in a specific order.
Related Topics and Related Topic links. Related Topics and Related Topic links provide you with another way to show the relationship between similar topics. You can use them to group topics that might be necessary or interesting to users.
Buttons. You can use existing buttons (like buttons on Help windows) or create custom buttons to help users move from one topic to the next. The most common linking buttons are the Previous and Next buttons that appear on the Help window. Using these buttons, users can move forward and backwards through a set of topics grouped into a browse sequence.
After you decide the types of links to include, plan an overall navigational linking strategy. Make make sure your links compliment each other and work together.
Here are some basic considerations for developing a navigational linking strategy:
Keep it simple and consistent. "Less is more" is a good design rule, regardless of whether you're designing the Help interface or its navigation. Clearly identify the navigational elements - make them easy to recognize and as visual as possible. And be consistent - if you're using a button to take them to Related Topics, each time the button appears it should contain the same label and appear in the same general location. Consistency is the best way to train users how to use your system. But make sure navigation doesn't get in the way of the information. Remember, what users really want is the information. The navigational tools are simply a means to an end.
Provide a home base. Give users a reliable place to begin and end. This is especially handy if users get lost. Typically, the point of entry is considered "home base", which is why the table of contents and index are so visible. Make sure users can go home from any place in the Help system.
Avoid over-navigating. Although it's important to provide a variety of pathways, do not offer too many choices to avoid overwhelming users. Make sure your navigational aids aren't just repeating topics in an effort to appear comprehensive.