# Web navigation should be persistent and consistent
Effective website navigation helps navigating non-psychical space. Given that the users will be moving from one page to another, the navigation should also be persistent and look the same throughout their journey.
# References
Krug, Don’t make me think (p. 61).
Just having the navigation appear in the same place on every page with a consistent look gives you instant confirmation that you're still in the same site - which is more important than you might think. And keeping the same throughout the site means that (hopefully) you only have to figure out how it works once.
# Backlinks
- Persistent web navigation may cause distraction
- Even though Web navigation should be persistent and consistent, web navigation can also be a distraction, especially when users have switched the way they think from scanning into focusing on a task (Websites should be designed to allow focus). When users are trying to focus on completing a form, for example, they may or may not intentionally click on web navigation therefore not completing the intended form. In the scenario where a persistent web navigation becomes a distraction, the web navigation should be kept to the minimum, such as just the Site ID.