Graphics
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Here are a few graphical methods that can be incorporated into navigation. Although there are others, these are the most common.
Note: The example links do not work, as they are only examples.
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Icons
Choose icons that are meaningful. Use alt tags and, whenever possible, and back up the concept with text as part of the image as icons aren't always understood.
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Buttons
The principal vehicle for travelling around a site is a set of buttons commonly grouped on each page into a navigation bar or navigation panel.
This type of element is very general, ranging from the common button look-alike to a designers own perception of a button. Just be sure to label them clearly. If the labels are too clever, they may cause confusion. Don't make your visitors fish for information. Provide visible, meaningful labels for links. This applies to all graphical navigation
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Tabs
Tabs are a popular type of image map. They allow for easy navigation between primary topic categories on a site. When using tabs for navigation, be sure that they are prominent enough to catch your visitors eye.
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Note: Screen Caption of tabs are from www.dell.com on of their Second Level pages.
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Flash
If you want to get high-tech, and it's appropriate for the site, add sound clues and visual interest to your interface with Macromedia Flash. Not all users have the plug-in installed, so this is not always recommended.
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