Menu hierarchy on public-sector websites
Menu hierarchy is the website navigation structure that helps a visitor understand where they are, what they can find and how to reach the required information as quickly as possible. It is usually made up of several levels: main menu items, their subcategories and, if needed, even deeper pages. A clear hierarchy is especially important on public-sector websites, because visitors there often look for specific information related to services or documents.
On the websites of municipalities, schools, museums or libraries, the menu is not just a design element. It is the main navigation tool, and it determines whether a resident will quickly find an application form, educational information, an events calendar, opening hours or contacts. If the menu structure is not well thought out, the user has to click through too many links, go back, or search for information, even though it should be easy to reach through navigation.
Why is menu hierarchy so important?
A good menu hierarchy helps reduce information noise and allows the website content to be organised according to logic that users understand. The visitor first sees the most important topics and only then moves on to more detailed content. This principle is especially useful on institutional websites, where it is necessary to present general information about the organisation, current electronic services, and legal acts or a document archive at the same time.
In addition, a clear structure helps not only residents, but also the organisation itself. When the menu is logical, it is easier to maintain content, plan new pages and avoid duplication. This matters for organisations where several employees or different departments administer the website content.
Core principles of a good hierarchy
- A uncluttered main menu. The first-level menu should cover only the most important topics relevant to most visitors. For example, on a municipality website, this may be services, news, structure, information relevant to residents and contacts. If too many items are put into the main menu, it becomes difficult for the user to decide quickly where to click.
- Clear and understandable names. Menu item names should be specific and written in language that residents understand. Internal administrative terms or abbreviations that are clear only to organisation staff should be avoided. For example, instead of the abstract ‘Activities’, it is often better to use a more precise name such as ‘Services’, ‘Documents’ or ‘Pupil admissions’.
- Limited depth. The deeper information is hidden, the harder it is to find. In practice, public-sector websites should avoid overly deep structures, because they make browsing difficult both on a computer and on mobile devices. If a page can only be reached after several extra clicks, it is worth assessing whether its place in the menu is really appropriate.
- Consistency across the whole website. The same principles should be applied to all sections of the website. If one part uses subcategories and another presents everything according to a completely different logic, the visitor has to learn the navigation again from scratch. A consistent structure builds trust and makes orientation faster.
- Connection to user needs. The menu should be planned not according to the organisation’s internal structure, but according to what the visitor is looking for. For example, on a school website, parents need to quickly find admissions procedures, education plans, catering information and contacts. On a library website, the most important items may be opening hours, services, events and electronic resources.
Menu hierarchy in different types of organisations
On municipality websites, the menu often covers many different areas: administrative services, resident support, council information, public procurement, news and projects. It is therefore especially important to distinguish what is relevant to residents on a daily basis from what is needed by a narrower audience. Most often, the visitor first looks for a service, a form or contacts, so these paths should be as short as possible.
On school websites, menu hierarchy should help different audiences: parents, pupils, teachers and future community members. Information about admissions, lesson times, education documents, non-formal education and news should be easy to find. If all information is put into one general section, the website becomes difficult to use.
On museum and library websites, it is important to balance the informational and representative functions. Visitors want to quickly find opening hours, ticket or service information, exhibition and events calendars, educational activities and contacts. If the menu is too focused on the organisation’s internal structure rather than the visitor’s goals, the most important information remains hidden.
Accessibility and compliance with requirements
On public-sector websites, menu hierarchy must also be created with accessibility requirements in mind. Navigation must be understandable not only visually, but also when using a keyboard or screen readers. This means that menu levels must be clearly marked, link names must be meaningful, and expandable items must be implemented technically correctly.
It is also important to ensure that the user can always see which section of the website they are in. Marking the active menu item, using page titles consistently and having a clear navigation logic help people with cognitive or visual difficulties. This is not an extra feature – it is an essential part of a quality public website.
Although menu hierarchy is not directly related to GDPR, it affects how the privacy policy, cookie information, data subject rights and contacts for personal data processing are presented. This information should not be hidden deep within the website. It should be easy to find both from the main menu and from the footer or other clear navigation points.
Most common mistakes
- Too many menu levels. When the user has to go through several dropdown layers, the likelihood increases that they will get lost or will not reach their goal on a mobile phone. Such a structure often appears when content grows uncontrollably on the website.
- Too broad menu sections. If too many items are shown at one level, the menu becomes hard to scan. The user has to read a long list, and the most important choices no longer stand out.
- Institutional rather than user language. When the menu is created according to department names or internal administrative logic, it is difficult for residents to understand where to look for a service. The website should speak in the visitor’s language, not in the language of the organisational chart.
- Duplicated pages in different sections. Sometimes the same information is placed in several places to make it ‘easier to find’. In the long run, however, this creates confusion, because the information may be updated unevenly in different places.
How do you plan a good menu hierarchy?
It is worth starting with the question of what tasks visitors carry out on the website. First, the most important scenarios should be identified: finding a service, filling in an application, checking opening hours, viewing news, contacting the organisation. Only then should the menu levels be formed and the content grouped.
It is useful to review existing content and remove repeated or outdated pages. The clearer the information architecture, the simpler the menu structure will be. On public-sector websites this is especially important, because they often accumulate many documents, archive news items and information from different periods.
Finally, it is worth testing the menu hierarchy in practice: can the user understand where to click without extra explanations? Are the most important pages reached quickly? Is navigation equally convenient on a computer and on a phone? A well-planned menu not only makes the website look better, but also genuinely improves the quality of resident service in the digital space.