My first task when designing these pages is navigation. In earlier Web sites, I would place a panel of links on the left with no clear hierarchy of content. These days, I favor a horizontal series of tabs near the top for general categories of content, with a panel on the left side to break down each category into subcategories. Included as well in this left panel are links to other general categories, if there is room. If not, I include those in a footer area about 600 pixels down from the top, an area I call The Fold.

I've tried a number of methods of creating tabbed menus, sometimes using a javascript menu builder, or in some cases a completely graphical text-less tab menu overlaid with image maps that define "hot spots." Lately I've begun to favor a graphical representation of tabs on the bottom layer overlaid with evenly spaced text links, each enclosed within its own division tag whose placement is determined within an attached stylesheet.

Why? Because the Internet is more about content than graphic display or javascript parlor tricks. Which means text takes precedence over graphics or scripting. The combination of general tabs on the top, and specific links on the left, means that no navigation