Buttons, links and graphics can be used from each screen to maintain a sense of place. Users need to stay oriented to where they are in the site, where they need to go, and how to get back to where they came from. Having a consistent layout grid helps to orient the user and keep them from feeling lost. As a user moves from screen to screen, make sure there are familiar visual cues and navigational aids. Determine at this stage what type of cues or aids will be necessary to clarify naming, labeling and navigation from one page to the next.
Icons are useful, but only if they are clear and meaningful.
Consistent labeling means that a voice is established and carried through the entire site. There are Web standards emerging for naming, labeling and icon treatment. Make a conscious decision about what universal icons or labels you will have on the site, and also what elements you may want to set up based on your own internal standards. Include this information on your screen view layouts as part of the information section to keep designers and HTML production artists on target at all times. Inc. All rights reserved.