A consistent approach to layout and navigation allows readers to adapt to your design and to predict the location of information and navigation across the pages of your site. Understanding the various concepts of navigation is key in creating appropriate links. Some Design Tips Keep it Simple - Icons, graphics and text that flash, spin, blink and bounces around your pages should be avoided. These create confusion and take away from the information on your page. Emphasis and Contrast - Good design is not as much an issue of aesthetics as it is a matter of controlling emphasis.
Emphasis is created by visual contrast, used judiciously.
Embellishments - Use bold text, graphics, rules, bullets, and other visual markers sparingly. These tools are powerful for adding visual emphasis, but if everything is emphasized then nothing stands out. Typography - Avoid using all caps within text because they stand out, as though the capitalized words are shouting for attention. Headings or chunks of text that are all upper case are harder to read because they have no shape contrast. Legibility - If you plan to use a background color, be sure that the color of your type contrasts sharply with the background color you choose.