Ajax overhaul, Part 1: Retrofit existing sites with Ajax and jQuery

by Brian Dillard Vice President of Ajax Development, Pathfinder Development

Improve your user experience and simplify your navigation with modal dialogs

This first article in a series on overhauling existing sites with Asynchronous JavaScript + XML (Ajax) shows you 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 article shows how you can eliminate pop-up windows and navigational dead-ends with simple modal windows. By using the principle of progressive enhancement, you can guarantee that such advanced UI features don’t hamper your site’s accessibility and adherence to Web standards.