I think these types of footers serve as an extended courtesy navigation for users that have already committed at least a moderate level of interest in the site's content (as Dyske mentions above). I do think the footer is a good place for them to appear.
I do not think these sitemap-style footers belong on *every* site, but for a site like target.com, it adds value. At a glance, I can get a "30,000 foot view" of the site and Target's services (which is a different view than I get from the global product navigation at the top). The real-world comparison would be the Directory in a mall. Even if I know where I am going, I might stop to look at the directory (if I conveniently walk past one) just to see what other stores or services are on my way. The sitemap-style footer offers me the same type of convenience. That is, I probably was not lost when I viewed the footer, but it likely presented me with additional, convenient options I may not have known about otherwise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=41412 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
