OVERVIEW
Target audience: Site Administrators, Site Managers
A mega menu in the Web Management System (WMS) is a special type of menu; it displays menu items in a drop-down format as columns of categorized links, e.g., a collection of degree programs, or a collection of branch libraries.
Essentially, a mega menu groups and exposes related sections in the navigation all at once so that visitors are able to see a list of categories that have equal value without having to drill down into the site or search for where they need to go.
In this article:
Sample of a mega menu
Below is a mega menu in the Desautels Faculty of Management.
When should you use a mega menu?
The mega menu format is not appropriate for all sites. Before requesting a mega menu for your site, you should ensure that the mega menu format will work with your site structure.
To determine if a mega menu is right for your site, perform an audit of your web pages. Map out your site structure in a spreadsheet or chart organized by primary, secondary, tertiary and additional pages. A mega menu might be appropriate for your site if:
- You have a bigger site with numerous menu items, and
- Your menu items can be grouped into secondary categories of equivalent value, and
- You don’t have a large number of fourth-level menu items that contain critical information
- You have a minimum of two secondary menu items
All requests for a mega menu must be accompanied by a use case that:
- States the purpose and/or problem being solved
- Includes a draft of the proposed mega menu structure
Best practices
The following should be adhered to for best practices when implementing a mega menu:
- Avoid including anything other than a list of links to the groupings on a mega menu's landing page since the landing page won't be seen on mobile devices and on desktop computers if JavaScript is turned off; the landing page serves as an accessibility safeguard in case a visitor is unable to use the mega menu (e.g., if using a screen reader for the visually impaired) and it allows visitors to access the content through the links on the landing page instead.
- Use a mega menu as a way to represent second-level menu items grouped in categories of equal value.
Contact the IT Service Desk for assistance determining if a mega menu is appropriate for your website.
