Related links

[davidhunter08]

What

A list of links related to the current page. Appears on the right hand side of a page on large screen devices.

Why

Currently used on these NHS websites:

• NHS.UK
• NHSX
• NHS digital service manual

[markasrobinson]

I've noticed the current page a user is on disappears from the related links list.

This can create some odd cases where there's a section in the navigation with no links under it. It may also mean it's less clear to users where the page they're on sits in the structure of the content.

See "Get support" on type 1 diabetes page: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/get-support/

Would it be better for related links to the current page just to be bold/inactive?

[davidhunter08]

Thanks for raising this @markasrobinson .

I do agree, in this instance the active page should remain with a different style because it does look broken.

Are you ok to raise this in the CI backlog?

I do question whether if this version of the right-hand nav is working. There's an awful lot of links (in the right-hand nav and on the hub page), making it hard to scan and process the options.

Current pattern

I know the team who developed this pattern were under immense pressure to deliver and chances for usability testing were limited. We tried something similar during the redesign project and it completely failed; users neither used it for navigation or orientation.

I'd be interested in exploring reducing (grouping) the pages (links) on the hub page and utilising the mini-hub pattern for the grouped pages...

Proposed pattern

[bencullimore]

This ticket relates to NHS.UK's information architectures 'sideways navigation' https://github.com/nhsuk/nhsuk-service-manual-backlog/issues/259