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