document design: guidelines for effective information layout
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Document Design: Guidelines for Effective Information Layout. Dr. Shelley Thomas ENGL 3190. Some Concepts. Arrangement Organization of visual elements Sequence of information—chronological, causal, hierarchical Format - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Document Design:Guidelines for Effective
Information Layout
Dr. Shelley ThomasENGL 3190
Some Concepts Arrangement
Organization of visual elements Sequence of information—
chronological, causal, hierarchical Format
Consistent design conventions of recurring elements such as headings, typeface, margins, columns, and boxes
Some Concepts Layout
Arrangement of elements on a page
Some Concepts Physical appearance
ShapePortrait or landscapeFull page, folded brochure (tent
style or book style), tri-fold, etc. Paper weight, color, and texture Type of binding
Coil, tape, binder
Functions of Design Provides access to information Aids comprehension Enhances recall Motivates readers Meets readers’ expectations Facilitates ongoing use
Kostelnick and Roberts, Designing Visual Language
Principles of Design—Arrangement
Arrangement—shows structure of information Through
numbering
Spatial arrangement
1.2.3.4.5.6.
1.0 1.1 1.2
2.0 2.1 2.2
Kostelnick and Roberts, Designing Visual Language
Principles of Design—Emphasis
Emphasis—controls what stands out
Kostelnick and Roberts, Designing Visual Language
Principles of Design—Clarity Clarity—helps readers to access
information quickly Encompasses many design elements
Typefaces• Easy to read?• Appropriate for audience?• Demonstrates professionalism?• Easy-to-read all caps?
Principles of Design—Clarity (con’t)
Charts Illustrations
Cats Dogs Birds Fish2001
2002
Cost
Species
Year
Household Pets
40-50
30-40
20-30
10-20
0-10
Principles of Design—Conciseness Conciseness—designs that are
appropriately succinct Fish
1
2
Birds
12
Dogs
1
2
Cats
2001
2002
Charts are too concise to communicate effectively
Kostelnick and Roberts, Designing Visual Language
Principles of Design—Conciseness
Information consolidatedStrays Adopted
0
10
20
30
40
50
Cats Dogs Birds Fish
Species
Num
ber
20012002
Be careful of those stray fish.
Kostelnick and Roberts, Designing Visual Language
Principles of Design—Tone and Ethos
Tone—reveals the designer’s attitude toward the audience
Ethos—cultivates a sense of credibility with the audience
Robin Williams, Non-Designer's Design Book
Non-Designer’s GuidelinesProximity and Alignmenthttp://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/designprin1/start.htm
Repetition and Contrasthttp://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/designprin2/start.htm
Elements of Design Number of columns Line length White spaces—margins, open space,
vertical or horizontal layouts Visuals—number and placement
Elements of Design Paragraph length and indentation Lists—numbered, bulleted Headings—levels, size, font, capital
style, placement Portrait vs. landscape page
orientation Type—font, size, style
Elements of Design Rules, boxes, underlining, pointers Shading, color Binding, folding, document size Paper—weight, color, texture
Document Design Decisions Do I use text or a visual representation? Where do I place text, visuals? How many columns should I use? How do I group common elements? What type styles and sizes should I
use? How do I accommodate different types
of readers?
Implementing Design Principles Chunking
Coding information into meaningful units and separating them from other units
Using White Space White space is not a left over area,
it is an active design element that separates and emphasizes
Implementing Design Principles Sequencing
Establishing a sequence of stops for the reader (large to small, high to low, left to right, color to black and white, bold to light, irregular to normal shapes)
Implementing Design Principles Navigating
Using navigational aids such as visual markers (tabs, bullets, graphics, white space) and verbal guides (table of contents, lists, headings, indices, headers, footers)
Implementing Design Principles Signaling
Using cues that preview organization, indicate hierarchy, or show relationships such as type size, italics, bold, color, underlining, preview statements, connectives
Advantages of Effective Document Design Accommodates different types of
reading Points readers to most important
material Promotes comprehension Enhances recall
GOAL: Instant and lasting communication