A site map is a visual or textually organized model
of a Web site's content that allows the users to navigate through the
site to find the information they are looking for, just as a traditional
geographical map helps people find places they are looking for in the
real world. A site map is a kind of interactive table of contents, in
which each listed item links directly to its counterpart sections of the
Web site. Site maps perform the same service that the layout maps in large
shopping malls perform: without them, it is possible to explore a complex
site by trial and error, but if you want to be sure to find what you're
looking for, the most efficient way to do that is to consult a model of
the resources available. If a Web site is small and uncomplicated, a site
map may be unnecessary, just as a layout map may not be required for shoppers
to find their way through small shopping malls.
Typically, site maps are organized hierarchically, breaking down the
Web site's information into increasingly specific subject areas. There
are a number of different types of site maps: organizational chart site
maps are quite similar in appearance to a traditional table of contents;
others, based on a perspective view of the site, are like a three dimensional
model with individual pages upright, like index cards, arranged in sections
and linked by lines. Structured Graph Format (SGF) site maps use an XML
format language to describe Web site content, and a Java SGF viewer to
interact with the data. There are a number of companies making site mapping
products; generally, these don't require Web design skills - such as HTML
or XML ability - on the part of the user. Popular site mapping products
include TheBrain's SiteBrain, Inxight Software's Tree Studio, IBM's Java-based
Mappuccino, and Dynamic Diagram's eponymous product. Site maps can also
be created using more general Web site management tools, such as Visual
Web, or Microsoft's Site Analyst.
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