Design navigation and information architecture for cognitive accessibility. Use when designing or reviewing navigation, site maps, page hierarchies, breadcrumbs, search, multi-step flows, or any structure where users need to find content and know where they are. Triggers on: users get lost, navig...
---
name: wayfinding-navigation
description: "Design navigation and information architecture for cognitive accessibility. Use when designing or reviewing navigation, site maps, page hierarchies, breadcrumbs, search, multi-step flows, or any structure where users need to find content and know where they are. Triggers on: users get lost, navigation, wayfinding, information architecture, breadcrumbs, findability, site map, confusing structure, where am I."
---
# Wayfinding and Navigation
Design navigation so that people with cognitive and memory difficulties
can find content, understand where they are, and get back to where they
were — without relying on memory.
## Core Principle
Users should always be able to answer three questions instantly:
1. **Where am I?**
2. **Where can I go?**
3. **How do I get back?**
If any answer requires more than 1 second of thought, the navigation
has failed.
## Design Patterns
### Signpost Pattern
- Breadcrumbs in hierarchies deeper than 2 levels
- Step indicators in multi-step flows ("Step 2 of 4")
- Active section highlighted in navigation
- Page titles that match the link that brought the user here
### Minimal Path Pattern
- Important actions reachable in 1–2 clicks from any screen
- Breadth over depth — flatten deep hierarchies
- Shortcuts to frequently used content
- "Back to [last meaningful location]" always available
### Multiple Routes Pattern
- Search AND browse AND shortcuts for all important content
- Don't force a single path to any destination
- "Jump to" links for long pages
- Recently visited and frequently used sections accessible
### Chunking Pattern
- Break long content into headed sections (3–5 paragraphs each max)
- Table of contents for pages longer than 3 screens
- Progressive disclosure for detail
- Group related form fields into labelled fieldsets
## Assessment Checklist
- [ ] Every page has a clear, descriptive title
- [ ] Navigation is consistent across all pages (same position, same order)
- [ ] Current location is always visually indicated
- [ ] Breadcrumbs or back links are present in hierarchies
- [ ] Multi-step flows show progress and allow backward movement
- [ ] Search is available on every page
- [ ] Important actions are reachable in 2 clicks or fewer
- [ ] Headings describe content (not just categories)
- [ ] Link text describes the destination (no "click here")
## Output Format
When reviewing: identify navigation failures with specific locations
and recommended fixes. When designing: present the information
architecture with cognitive accessibility annotations.
---
name: wayfinding-navigation
description: "Design navigation and information architecture for cognitive accessibility. Use when designing or reviewing navigation, site maps, page hierarchies, breadcrumbs, search, multi-step flows, or any structure where users need to find content and know where they are. Triggers on: users get lost, navigation, wayfinding, information architecture, breadcrumbs, findability, site map, confusing structure, where am I."
---
# Wayfinding and Navigation
Design navigation so that people with cognitive and memory difficulties
can find content, understand where they are, and get back to where they
were — without relying on memory.
## Core Principle
Users should always be able to answer three questions instantly:
1. **Where am I?**
2. **Where can I go?**
3. **How do I get back?**
If any answer requires more than 1 second of thought, the navigation
has failed.
## Design Patterns
### Signpost Pattern
- Breadcrumbs in hierarchies deeper than 2 levels
- Step indicators in multi-step flows ("Step 2 of 4")
- Active section highlighted in navigation
- Page titles that match the link that brought the user here
### Minimal Path Pattern
- Important actions reachable in 1–2 clicks from any screen
- Breadth over depth — flatten deep hierarchies
- Shortcuts to frequently used content
- "Back to [last meaningful location]" always available
### Multiple Routes Pattern
- Search AND browse AND shortcuts for all important content
- Don't force a single path to any destination
- "Jump to" links for long pages
- Recently visited and frequently used sections accessible
### Chunking Pattern
- Break long content into headed sections (3–5 paragraphs each max)
- Table of contents for pages longer than 3 screens
- Progressive disclosure for detail
- Group related form fields into labelled fieldsets
## Assessment Checklist
- [ ] Every page has a clear, descriptive title
- [ ] Navigation is consistent across all pages (same position, same order)
- [ ] Current location is always visually indicated
- [ ] Breadcrumbs or back links are present in hierarchies
- [ ] Multi-step flows show progress and allow backward movement
- [ ] Search is available on every page
- [ ] Important actions are reachable in 2 clicks or fewer
- [ ] Headings describe content (not just categories)
- [ ] Link text describes the destination (no "click here")
## Output Format
When reviewing: identify navigation failures with specific locations
and recommended fixes. When designing: present the information
architecture with cognitive accessibility annotations.
Imported from the listed AgentSkill.sh category. Complete supplied package files and notices are retained. Required external tools and credentials are not installed. No bundled code was executed during import. Individual agent task behavior has not been tested.