How Do You Decide What Deserves Top-Level Navigation?
📰 Medium · UX Design
Learn how to decide what deserves top-level navigation in UX design and improve user experience
Action Steps
- Evaluate if a feature supports a primary user goal using user research and feedback
- Assess the frequency of use for each feature to determine its priority
- Determine the criticality of each task and its impact on the user experience
- Apply user mental models to navigate and organize content effectively
- Align features with business goals and objectives to maximize ROI
- Use evidence-based decision making to inform top-level navigation design
Who Needs to Know This
UX designers and product teams can benefit from this article to make informed decisions about top-level navigation and enhance user engagement
Key Insight
💡 Top-level navigation should support primary user goals, be frequently used, and align with business objectives
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📈 Improve user experience by making informed decisions about top-level navigation! 💡
Key Takeaways
Learn how to decide what deserves top-level navigation in UX design and improve user experience
Full Article
Title: How Do You Decide What Deserves Top-Level Navigation?
URL Source: https://medium.com/@ashlyvincent123/how-do-you-decide-what-deserves-top-level-navigation-cbdf6d6f05e6?source=rss------ux_design-5
Published Time: 2026-07-08T11:58:14Z
Markdown Content:
[Sitemap](https://medium.com/sitemap/sitemap.xml)
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1. [What Is Top-Level Navigation?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#f31f "What Is Top-Level Navigation?")
2. [How Product Teams Decide What Belongs There](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#6f33 "How Product Teams Decide What Belongs There")
3. [1. Does It Support a Primary User Goal?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#29ea "1. Does It Support a Primary User Goal?")
4. [2. How Frequently Is It Used?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#9301 "2. How Frequently Is It Used?")
5. [3. Is the Task Critical?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#527f "3. Is the Task Critical?")
6. [4. Does It Match Users’ Mental Models?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#2bd2 "4. Does It Match Users’ Mental Models?")
7. [5. Does It Support Business Goals?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#8788 "5. Does It Support Business Goals?")
8. [6. Does It Belong with Related Content?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#dc53 "6. Does It Belong with Related Content?")
9. [7. What Does the Evidence Say?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#31c8 "7. What Does the Evidence Say?")
10. [Applying the Framework: A Fintech Example](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#0d5c "Applying the Framework: A Fintech Example")
11. [Why This Matters to UX Writers](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#98dd "Why This Matters to UX Writers")
12. [A Simple Decision Matrix](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#3fa7 "A Simple Decision Matrix")
13. [Final Thoughts](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#e3d6 "Final Thoughts")
# How Do You Decide What Deserves Top-Level Navigation?
[
URL Source: https://medium.com/@ashlyvincent123/how-do-you-decide-what-deserves-top-level-navigation-cbdf6d6f05e6?source=rss------ux_design-5
Published Time: 2026-07-08T11:58:14Z
Markdown Content:
[Sitemap](https://medium.com/sitemap/sitemap.xml)
[Open in app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medium.reader&referrer=utm_source%3DmobileNavBar&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Sign up
[Sign in](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=login&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40ashlyvincent123%2Fhow-do-you-decide-what-deserves-top-level-navigation-cbdf6d6f05e6&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------global_nav------------------)
[](https://medium.com/?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Get app
[Write](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fnew-story&source=---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------new_post_topnav------------------)
[Search](https://medium.com/search?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
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1. [What Is Top-Level Navigation?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#f31f "What Is Top-Level Navigation?")
2. [How Product Teams Decide What Belongs There](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#6f33 "How Product Teams Decide What Belongs There")
3. [1. Does It Support a Primary User Goal?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#29ea "1. Does It Support a Primary User Goal?")
4. [2. How Frequently Is It Used?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#9301 "2. How Frequently Is It Used?")
5. [3. Is the Task Critical?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#527f "3. Is the Task Critical?")
6. [4. Does It Match Users’ Mental Models?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#2bd2 "4. Does It Match Users’ Mental Models?")
7. [5. Does It Support Business Goals?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#8788 "5. Does It Support Business Goals?")
8. [6. Does It Belong with Related Content?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#dc53 "6. Does It Belong with Related Content?")
9. [7. What Does the Evidence Say?](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#31c8 "7. What Does the Evidence Say?")
10. [Applying the Framework: A Fintech Example](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#0d5c "Applying the Framework: A Fintech Example")
11. [Why This Matters to UX Writers](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#98dd "Why This Matters to UX Writers")
12. [A Simple Decision Matrix](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#3fa7 "A Simple Decision Matrix")
13. [Final Thoughts](https://medium.com/?source=post_page-----cbdf6d6f05e6---------------------------------------#e3d6 "Final Thoughts")
# How Do You Decide What Deserves Top-Level Navigation?
[
DeepCamp AI