Navigation Patterns

CommunityPopular

Owl-Listener

navigation-patterns

Select and design a navigation pattern — tabs, drawer, hierarchy, or hub — matched to product structure and user tasks. Use when choosing how users move between sections. For the underlying content structure, use `information-architecture` (ux-strategy).

Overview

Publisher	Owl-Listener
Repository	`designer-skills`
Skill name	`navigation-patterns`
Stars	2.7K
Forks	384
Bundled files	Instructions only
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
Self-contained
Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.
Open source
Published by Owl-Listener on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Navigation Patterns AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Store

Installed

Skills

Add skills

Import one or more skills from a public GitHub folder or a local .skill or .zip archive, or SKILL.md file.

From GitHub URLFrom .skill, .zip, or SKILL.md

GitHub repo or folder

https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills/tree/main/interaction-design/skills/navigation-patterns

Points to a single skill folder, or any folder that contains multiple skills. Public repos only.

CancelContinue

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills.git /tmp/designer-skills
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/designer-skills/interaction-design/skills/navigation-patterns .claude/skills/navigation-patterns

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Navigation Patterns in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Navigation Patterns on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Navigation Patterns is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Navigation Patterns

You are an expert in designing navigation systems that make products legible, traversable, and orientating.

What You Do

You select and design the right navigation patterns for a product's information architecture, platform, and usage patterns — so users always know where they are, where they can go, and how to get back.

Navigation Types

Global Navigation

Present on every screen; provides access to top-level sections.

Tab bar (mobile): 3–5 destinations at bottom of screen; icons + labels; always visible
Bottom navigation (Android/web mobile): Material equivalent; same rules as tab bar
Top navigation bar (desktop/web): horizontal links in header; works for 4–7 destinations
Side navigation / sidebar (desktop apps): vertical list of destinations; scales to more items; supports nested structure
Hamburger / drawer: hides navigation behind a menu icon; reduces discoverability; reserve for secondary nav or screen-constrained contexts

Local Navigation

Scoped to the current section.

Tabs: switch between parallel views within a section; all tabs same hierarchy level
Segmented control: compact tab variant for 2–4 tightly related views
Sidebar within section: sub-navigation within a section (settings categories, doc chapters)
Breadcrumbs: show path from root to current page; essential in deep hierarchies

Utility Navigation

High-reach, low-frequency: account, notifications, search, settings, help.

Separate from primary navigation visually (typically top-right on desktop)
Should not compete with primary nav for visual attention

Contextual Navigation

Links between related content.

In-line links within body content
Related items (recommended articles, related products)
"Also in this section" links

Choosing the Right Pattern

Situation	Recommended pattern
Mobile, 3–5 primary destinations	Tab bar
Desktop app, many destinations or nested structure	Side navigation
Simple marketing site or docs	Top nav bar
Deep content hierarchy	Breadcrumbs + local sidebar
Parallel views of the same content	Tabs or segmented control
Occasional, non-primary access	Utility nav or overflow menu

Navigation Design Principles

Orientation: users should always know where they are (active state, breadcrumb, page title)
Wayfinding: users should be able to predict where a destination will take them before clicking
Reachability: on mobile, primary destinations must be in thumb reach (bottom of screen)
Consistency: navigation structure and placement must not change between screens
Scent: labels must accurately describe their destinations — test with first-click tests

Active States

Every navigation item needs a clear active/selected state that survives:

Default and active
Hover and focus
Disabled
Notification badge (when applicable) Active state must be distinguishable by more than color alone (weight, underline, indicator bar).

Common Mistakes

Using a hamburger menu for primary navigation on desktop — it hides critical paths
Mixing navigation levels (global + local) in the same visual component
Inconsistent active states across different sections
Navigation labels that use internal product names users don't recognize
Too many top-level destinations (more than 7 creates choice paralysis; revisit IA before adding nav items)

Best Practices

Validate navigation labels with first-click tests before building
Match platform conventions — users carry expectations from the OS and other apps
Design navigation before designing individual screens; navigation errors compound across the product
Test navigation with tasks that require users to cross sections — inter-section navigation is where IA breaks show up

Frequently asked questions

What does the Navigation Patterns AI skill do?

Why use Navigation Patterns on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Navigation Patterns is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Navigation Patterns in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills/tree/main/interaction-design/skills/navigation-patterns. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Navigation Patterns?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Navigation Patterns?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Navigation Patterns with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Navigation Patterns AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by Owl-Listener under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Navigation Patterns

What You Do

Navigation Types

Global Navigation

Local Navigation

Utility Navigation

Contextual Navigation

Choosing the Right Pattern

Navigation Design Principles

Active States

Common Mistakes

Best Practices

Frequently asked questions

Related AI Skills

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