document design

Eye-catching pictures or bombastic headings are not enough for a document to be considered as a well-designed and effective document. This article explains briefly about elements that constitutes a well-designed document as well as showing some examples and comparison about document designs in order to draw a clearer picture inside readers' minds.

The basic idea of designing a good document, in this case, presentation slides, is to be balance. You have to have approximately the same 'weight' of elements put in both sides of the page. Big objects, dark colors, and unusual shapes are considered to be 'heavier' than small objects, light colors, and simple shapes such as circles and squares (Reep, 2006).

Reep also mentions about the images we insert in our documents. In order to function effectively, images that we put should be clear and foucs on particular items that they help us to get across the idea to audience. Distracting backgrounds in images should be avoided as it could create unnecessary distraction to audience.

A well-designed document helps audience to find specific info quickly. Heading is a crucial thing that provides audience with a topic outline, as well as grab their attention in the very first place. It also shows changes in topic thus avoid confusion. Refer to earlier info about readability and balance, your headings should stand out among other info below it. Mind the text font, style, and size.

Bastoky (2005) also mentions about the readability. Meaning that authors should make sure that audience could clearly read the content of documents by applying the right font type and size. This will also keep audience's attention to the content while presenting.

One thing to hinder is forms dichotomy (Westendorp, et.al., 2000). The term could be defined as inconsistency in design layouts that it might not get across to desired targets. For example, too much eye-catching colors should not be put in formal and serious documents.

As the saying, experience is the best teacher, therefore we should always update ourselves about developments and improvements in document design that we are able to create an effective documents.

References :

1. Bastoky, G 2005, Principles in document design, updated 21 January 2005, viewed 5 April 2009, <www.bastoky.com/TOC.htm >

2. McCormick, L 1991, Living between the lines, Heinemann Education Books, Inc.
Reep, DC 2006, chapter 6 in 'Document design', New York, Pearson/Longman, pp 133-172.

3. Petelin, R, Putnis, P 1996, chapter 8: 'Writing in an academic context' in Professional communication : principles and application, Prentice Hall, Sydney.

4. Reep, DC 2006, chapter 6 in 'Document design', New York, Pearson/Longman.

5. Westendorp, P., Jansen, C., Punselie, R. 2000, 'Interface design & document design', Rodopi.