A site map is a visual or textually organized model of a Web site's content that allows the users to navigate through the site to find the information they are looking for, just as a traditional geographical map helps people find places they are looking for in the real world. A site map is a kind of interactive table of contents, in which each listed item links directly to its counterpart sections of the Web site. Site maps perform the same service that the layout maps in large shopping malls perform: without them, it is possible to explore a complex site by trial and error, but if you want to be sure to find what you're looking for, the most efficient way to do that is to consult a model of the resources available. If a Web site is small and uncomplicated, a site map may be unnecessary, just as a layout map may not be required for shoppers to find their way through small shopping malls.