Q: With the move to a "Service-First" design, the goal is to reduce clutter and help residents find what they need in fewer clicks. How do I know when to use a child page, landing page, or knowledge base article?
A: Here is a guide to help you decide which content type to use and how to structure your top-line navigation.
When do I add a Child Page?
Use a Child Page for evergreen, narrative content that explains a program or service in detail. They are great for "About Us" sections, News/Announcements, program details, and to answer specific questions like how to apply, how to submit a license, etc.
Key Difference: Unlike a KB, a Child Page is a standard web page that often lives within a specific section of your site's hierarchy, for example,/agency/services/program-name.
When do I add a Knowledge Base (KB) Article?
Use a KB Article for transactional, "How-To," or FAQ-style content. KBs are best for step-by-step instructions like "How to renew a license", definitions, or answering common "What/How/Where" questions.
Key Difference: KBs are searchable, categorized, and designed to act as a 24/7 virtual help desk. They are created in the Content Editor in Sitecore and automatically populate search results and FAQ sections. They also feed state chatbots.
When do I add a Landing Page?
Use a Landing Page as a central hub for a high-level topic or the agency itself. This is the traffic cop sending people in the right direction from a major highway to smaller, more specific streets that will bring them to the “house” of information they really need. The Agency Home Page or a major service category is a great example of a main landing page that should exist in your top-line navigation.
Key Difference: It is a "gateway" page. It doesn't hold the final answers but uses Sitecore components such as the Tile Card component, Feature Content Card component, and Link List component to direct customers to the right Child Pages or KBs.
Top-line navigation requirements
The "top-line" navigation is the primary menu at the top of every page, in the header. See the header and main navigation component overview to learn how this menu is structured. You can also watch a short video on how the top‑line navigation works: Top-line navigation for Connecticut agency websites (video).
Because space is limited (especially on mobile), it must be highly curated. Only main landing pages should live in your top navigation, as described above.
1. The "Most Popular" Rule
Items in the top-line navigation should represent your agency’s most-trafficked services. Use data (Google Analytics) to identify the top 4–6 tasks customers come to your site to complete.
- Example: "Renew a License" or "Find a Permit" belongs in the top-line; "Director’s Bio" belongs in a sub-page footer.
2. Labels Must Be Action-Oriented
Avoid internal jargon or "bureaucratese."
- Requirement: Labels should be short (1–3 words) and use "keywords" that customers recognize instantly.
- Do: "Services," "Resources," "Forms."
- Don't: "Bureau of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Coordination."
3. Hierarchy Limits
The new design system prioritizes a clean interface with everything available in just 3 clicks.
- Level 1 (Main Nav): High-level categories (for example, "Business Services").
- Level 2 (Sub-nav): Specific programs (for example, "Start a Business").
- Level 3 (Topics): Deep links to Child Pages or KBs.
- If a link requires a user to click more than three levels deep to find an answer, that answer should likely be moved up or converted into a searchable KB.
4. Accessibility & Responsiveness
Top-line items must be able to scale, or it will break the menu that people see on their desktop and mobile devices, to a hamburger menu where no top-line navigation items are viewable. Keep your total number of top-line links between 6 and 8. This prevents the menu from "squeezing" or breaking.
