Hybrid patterns

Hybrid patterns combine multiple models to balance competing needs, accommodate diverse content types, or serve different actor contexts.

Hub and spoke + fully connected

Hub provides entry point and overview, but spokes include global navigation to all sections.

• Home screen or dashboard lists all main sections (hub behaviour)
• Each section accessible from hub
• But once in a section, global navigation enables cross-section movement without hub return (fully connected behaviour)

Multilevel tree + fully connected

Global navigation for top level, tree navigation within sections, but also cross-section links where natural.

• Top-level pages fully connected via global menu (fully connected)
• Within sections, hierarchical navigation (multilevel tree)
• Contextual cross-section links bypass hierarchy when relationships exist

Step by step + pyramid

Hub shows all steps in process, actors can navigate sequentially or jump to any step.

• Overview page lists all steps with descriptions (pyramid hub)
• From overview, can start at beginning or jump to specific step
• Within steps, back/next navigation available (step by step)
• Can return to overview anytime

Contrast with pure step by step: Wizard is pure step by step—strict sequence, no jumping. This hybrid relaxes that constraint.

Fully connected + pan and zoom

Global navigation for discrete sections, spatial navigation within rich content.

• Top-level navigation between named sections (fully connected)
• Within certain sections, continuous spatial navigation (pan and zoom)
• Switch between navigation paradigms based on content type

Hub and spoke + flat navigation

Hub lists applications or workspaces, within each app all functions accessible.

• Launch screen or app switcher shows available tools/workspaces (hub)
• Select one to enter
• Within workspace, flat navigation model applies—all tools accessible, minimal location navigation

Pyramid + multilevel tree

Multiple pyramids (sequences) organised in tree structure.

• Tree navigation for categories and sequences
• Within each sequence, pyramid model applies (hub + sequential)

Resources & references

• Tidwell, Brewer, Valencia (2020) Designing Interfaces, 3rd ed.
• Rosenfeld, Morville, Arango (2015) Information Architecture, 4th ed.