M. Reber© 04/20/23

Page Design and Elements

Visuals to Aid Comprehension

Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Page Design

Helps readers understand information Indicates hierarchy of ideas and concepts Helps readers locate information Emphasizes the most important content Encourages readers to feel good about a

communication and its subject matter Appeals to right-brained user’s Invites the eye

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Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Design Principles

Consider your reader and purpose Align related visual elements with one another Use contrast to establish hierarchy and focus Use proximity to group related elements Use repetition to unify your communication

visually Select font types that are easy to read Design for ease of use and attractiveness

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Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Design Elements

Elements Refers toHeadings and titles Labels for sections of your communication

Text Paragraphs, sentences, lists, steps

White space Blank areas

Visual aids Drawings, graphs, tables…

Headers and footers Page number, author name…

Physical features of paper Shape, size and bindings

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Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Headings

Are the titles and subtitles you insert into the text to indicate the topic and purpose of the paragraphs

Provide an overview of the document/section Indicate the logic of the documents Indicate the topic of the upcoming section Enable readers to read selectively Provide breaks and white space in dense text Keep readers focused Keep the writer focused and organized

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Designing Headings

Use no more than four levels of headings Make headings bold and avoid all caps Consistently distinguish heading level by proportionate point

size, indentation, font type (italics), capitalization, and other graphic elements

Use sans serif fonts such as Helvetica, Optima, or Arial Make the phrasing of headings accurate and descriptive Make headings grammatically parallel Use an appropriate number of headings Use task-oriented headings in instructions Avoid lone headings or stacked headings Do not use headings as lead-ins to lists, figures, or tables Adjust paragraph spacing above and below headings

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Level 1 Heading

Level 2 Heading

Sample: Headings

Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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General Guidelines for Text

Generally use 9-11 point size for body text, depending on the dimensions and purpose of your document (for user’s guides around 9 pt)

Use serif fonts such as Times New Roman, Garamond, or Palatino

Single space body text Indent text line to create a column of white

space on the right-hand side Adjust paragraph spacing above and below

paragraphs and text elements Do not shift text margins with heading margins

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Lists: Bulleted and Numbered

Bulleted lists emphasize two or more items where order is not crucial

Some bullet lists have labels with a term in bold followed by a description or definition

Numbered lists have items that are in a required order, chronological process, or that must be referred to by number

Numbered lists usually indicate a step-by-step process that must be completed in a specific, sequential order

Lists add emphasis, increase readability, and add white space

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Bulleted List

Numbered List

Sample: Bulleted and Numbered Lists

Guidelines for Lists

Use the right type of list (number or bullet) Include a lead-in sentence ending with a colon Check the grammatical connection between list items and lead-ins Avoid using too many lists or creating lists with too many items Don’t use lists with only one item Use standard punctuation and capitalization on list items Adjust spacing between list items for readability Make the phrasing of list items parallel Avoid lead articles on list items Correctly align list items and nested list items Include a bullet list at the end of the Overview or Introduction that

lists and explains all your H1s in your guide If additional information/definitions follow the item, add a period after

the item in bold, and add the extra text in unbold on the same line

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Steps

Begin each step with a verb in command form (omit “you”)

Bold the command sentence Put additional information, notes, explanation

about each step is in unbold text on the same line or on the very next line

Include only one action per step (unless two actions must be completed simultaneously)

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Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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White Space

Is defined as any space on the page where there is no text

Adds visual clarity to the document Is created by defining the space along the:

margins, between lines, paragraphs, indentation, lead-ins & bullet text, bullets and the adjoining bulleted-text, etc.

Is created through the Styles and Formatting option in the Format Menu of MS-Word

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White Space

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Heading & Paragraph Text Spacing

Right Margin Spacing

Left Margin Spacing

Lead-in & Bullet Text Spacing

Bullet Spacing Bullet and Bullet Text Spacing

Paragraph Spacing

White Space – Sample

Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Notes, Warnings, and Tips

Notices are special emphasis techniques for text Search the text for situations that match the situations for your

notices Place notices with the text to which they apply Present high-severity notices at the beginning of a document Align notices with the text to which they apply Consolidate multiple notices when possible Use notice types consistently The types of notices are:

Danger: for situations where serious injury or fatality could occur Warning: for situations where minor injury could occur Caution: for situations where damage to equipment or data could occur Note: for situations where information needs to be emphasized, for exceptions,

special points, hints, and tips

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Guidelines for Notices

While writing warnings and danger notices, consider including: Conditions Actions to avoid or to take Consequences Recovery

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Sample: Tips Box

Tables, Graphs, and Charts

Tables are rows and columns of numbers, words, or symbols

Graphs show changes in data over time Charts are graphical representation of data in

the form of bar and pie charts, in general Use lists, charts, flowcharts, tables, diagrams,

and graphics to clarify and organize information Always introduce bullet lists and graphics with a

sentence followed by a colon (:)

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Types of Illustrations

Photographs Drawings Flowcharts and other conceptual drawings Diagrams and schematics

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Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Headers and Footers

Include a footer on all pages except the cover page and table of contents page

Footers should be of the same font type you use for your headings

Footer usually consists of three items: your name, the title of your guide, and the date

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Header

Footer

Headers and Footers: Sample

Overview

Page Design Design Principles Design Elements Headings Text White Space Graphics and Visual Aids Headers and Footers Physical Features of Paper

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Physical Features of Paper

Readers usually prefer manuals that are compact and manageable, such as 7 x 9

Use a paper that is thick enough so that text and graphics do not bleed through when you print on both sides

A paper with a slight gloss can look very professional

For binding, use coil, saddle stitch, or staples covered carefully by high quality tape

See course reader for specifics on paper and production of the guide

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