Topical navigation versus path-splitting
Users usually arrive at a home page with specific topical or product interests or functional goals in mind. Most home pages thus feature prominent navigation lists or visual menus of topics, products, and services. Sometimes, however, users identify their interests by their identity or role. For example, it’s common for university sites to “split paths” on the home page into prospective students, current students, parents, faculty, and other groups and then present various submenu pages oriented to the interests and needs of each group