Ajax Overhaul, Part 1: Retrofit Existing Sites With Ajax and jQuery - Improve Your User Experience and Simplify Your Navigation With Modal Dialogs

Overview

This first paper in a series on overhauling existing sites with Asynchronous JavaScript + XML (Ajax) shows people how to eliminate pop-up windows and navigational dead-ends with simple modal windows. Ajax techniques have changed the face of large, commercial Web applications, but many smaller Web sites don't have the resources to rebuild their entire User Interfaces (UIs) overnight. New features should justify their cost by solving real-world interface problems and improving the user experience. This paper shows how people can eliminate pop-up windows and navigational dead-ends with simple modal windows. By using the principle of progressive enhancement, one can guarantee that such advanced UI features don't hamper the site's accessibility and adherence to Web standards.