A Visual Clue is any aspect of presentation network design that helps a presenter orient himself to know where he is in the network or to find information. There are at least nine different categories of Visual Clues. A Visual Clue can be as simple as a text link. For example, a link that says HOME is a very obvious indicator to the presenter to where this link will lead.

One of the most effective and common types of Visual Clues is a thumbnail image that gives a tiny visual preview of available slide content. A realtor might have a switchboard containing small images of featured properties. Clicking the small image opens a slide filled with the same property image, full screen.

We often take a screenshot of slides and downsize that image to make a thumbnail link. By looking at a grouping of such thumbnails, we can choose which slides to show, in any order, before actually navigating.