IT & Software

Navigation Patterns

Design an Adaptive Navigation System with this ChatGPT Prompt for Seamless Multi-User, Multi-Device Experiences

What This Prompt Does

Generates a complete navigation framework tailored to your product's structure, content categories, and user account types.
Outlines how main navigation, filters, breadcrumbs, search, and account access should work together across various device types and user states.
Addresses key challenges in wayfinding, responsiveness, and user journey complexity—especially for platforms with layered content or multiple user roles.

Tips

Clearly define the number of product categories and account types—this affects navigation depth, logic, and complexity.
Include states like "logged in," "logged out," "onboarding in progress," or "limited access" to handle dynamic display conditions.
Plan navigation patterns that adapt well from desktop to mobile—think collapsible menus, sticky headers, or tabbed navigation.
Account for common wayfinding challenges, like nested categories, filters vs search confusion, or deep journeys through checkout, dashboards, or content trees.
Use this prompt to brief designers and front-end developers before wireframing or prototyping.

Prompt

Create a comprehensive navigation system for our [product type] that handles [number] product categories and [number] user account types. Include specifications for: main navigation, filters, search, breadcrumbs, and user account access. Detail how the navigation adapts for [list different states/scenarios]. Consider cross-device behavior and solutions for [specific navigation challenges]. Address wayfinding for complex user journeys like [example journey

How To Use The Prompt

Fill in the placeholders [PRODUCT TYPE], [NUMBER OF PRODUCT CATEGORIES], [NUMBER OF USER ACCOUNT TYPES], [DIFFERENT STATES/SCENARIOS], [SPECIFIC NAVIGATION CHALLENGES], and [EXAMPLE JOURNEY] with real, contextual information about your platform.

Example:
"Create a comprehensive navigation system for our B2B SaaS analytics platform that handles 6 product categories and 3 user account types (Admin, Analyst, Viewer). Include specifications for: main navigation, filters, search, breadcrumbs, and user account access. Detail how the navigation adapts for scenarios like first-time login, restricted access, or mobile viewing. Consider cross-device behavior and solutions for challenges such as deeply nested dashboards and permission-based content visibility. Address wayfinding for complex user journeys like navigating from a top-level dashboard into a custom report builder and back to the account overview."

Example Input

#INFORMATION ABOUT MY PRODUCT:

Product type: E-commerce platform for digital tools
Product categories: 10 total (e.g., Templates, Plugins, Fonts, UI Kits, Mockups, etc.)
User account types: Guest, Registered User, Seller, Admin
Scenarios: Logged out, Logged in (buyer/seller), Checkout in progress, Mobile browsing
Navigation challenges: Complex filter system, mobile menu overload, differentiating public vs logged-in content
Example journey: Guest user browsing Templates → applying multiple filters → adding item to cart → prompted to sign in → continues to checkout

Example Output

Main Navigation (Desktop):

Top horizontal nav with dropdown mega menus for categories
Persistent cart icon with notification badge
CTA buttons: “Sign Up,” “Login,” “Become a Seller”
“My Account” dropdown after login, context-sensitive (buyer/seller/admin)

Main Navigation (Mobile):

Hamburger menu with expandable accordion for categories
Floating action button (FAB) for cart
Sticky top bar with back button and search icon

Filters & Search:

Faceted filtering in sidebar (desktop) or collapsible panel (mobile)
Filter chips appear above listings for quick removal
Search includes autocomplete, category scoping, and recent searches
Filters persist when user navigates between tabs within a category

Breadcrumbs:

Visible on all category and product pages
Format: Home > Templates > Business > Minimal Template Kit
Auto-updated when filters change contextually

User Account Access:

Role-based dashboards:
- Buyer: Order History, Downloads, Wishlist
- Seller: Analytics, Uploads, Revenue Reports
- Admin: User Management, Product Moderation
Quick switch account toggle (for sellers who also buy)

Responsive Behavior:

On tablets: 2-column collapsible nav layout
On mobile: Accordion category explorer and simplified filter UI
Context-aware search (autoswitches between mobile full-screen overlay and desktop bar)

Dynamic States Handled:

Guest: Access to product browsing only, redirected to sign in at checkout
Logged-in buyer: Personalized product recommendations in nav dropdown
Logged-in seller: "Add New Product" CTA integrated in primary nav
Empty cart: Cart icon appears inactive (grayed out)
Checkout in progress: Navigation locked down to prevent accidental exit

Accessibility Considerations:

Keyboard-friendly navigation tabs and dropdowns
ARIA labels on all filters and navigation elements
Large clickable areas for mobile touch targets
Toggle for high contrast mode available in account settings

Wayfinding Example:
A guest user browses “Templates,” applies filters for “Minimal” and “Business,” adds an item to their cart, and attempts to check out. They’re prompted to log in. Post-login, they are returned to the same product and filter state, with the cart retained and “Continue to Checkout” clearly highlighted.

Additional Information

This mega-prompt is an essential tool for UX designers, developers, and product managers working on platforms with layered content, user-specific experiences, or multiple navigation paths. It reduces ambiguity, anticipates edge cases, and creates a coherent structure that supports exploration, task completion, and return navigation.

Use this to sketch sitemaps, navigation flows, or user state matrices.
Easily translate into Figma components, prototypes, or front-end logic.
Ideal for redesigning legacy systems or planning multi-role SaaS platforms.

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