Document Design in Technical Writing

ENG 150

Elements of Document Design“When you are designing your document’s

layout, it is just as important to know your audience as when you are planning your document’s text”– Consistent use of elements creates a sense of a

unified document.– Headings and lists help readers note different

sections.

Source: Chapter 5, Page 118

http://flickr.com/photos/shaun_morrison/146065326/

Document Design

Items to Consider for Document Design

• Where will the document be used? Consider materials used for specific situations (at a desk vs. on a construction site, for example)

• How will the document be used? Will it be used as a reference? Training manual?

• How do you want readers to perceive the document? Complex? Friendly? Businesslike?

Consistency is Key

Keeping a consistent design throughout a document reinforces company brands and general aesthetics. Consistency also helps readers when they review your document, as it helps with organization.

Style guides and style sheets are a great way to help with consistency across a document or documents.

Style Sheet and Style Guides

• Include design elements such as headers, lists, graphics.

• Include specific wording choices, such as how to abbreviate certain titles.

• Include common grammar rules, especially if they follow something specific such as use or lack of use of the oxford comma.

• Include use of logos and other graphics to help writers and designers maintain company branding.

http://billyblue.cuttscreative.com.au/2011/03/26/style-guide-brand-manual/

Style Sheet Example

Document StructureBy using grids and whitespace, you can keep content interesting

and clear:

GridsThink about a document in terms of sections, using placeholders to organize text and graphics. (see figures on page 125 in chapter 5)

Check out this site with great examples: http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/contents/grid/

White Space“Experts have learned that readers are attracted to text when white space surrounds it” (Chapter 5, page 125).

White space can be used in margins, hanging indents, line spacing, paragraph length, and paragraph indenting among other textual spacing techniques (Chapter 5, pages 126-127)

Grid Example

http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/contents/grid/

Content Structure

Two major elements:ListsHelp you group information for easier reading, helps

emphasize important points, help organize information chronologically.

Lists should be formatted and follow guidelines such as keeping items within the list as short as possible and keeping lists parallel in format.

(Source Chapter 5, pages 128-129)

Content StructureHeadings• Use at least one heading per page of a document• Use substantive wording (Instead of “Costs” use “Production Costs of

the FastCopy800)• Use parallel form in wording—headings of equal value and degree

should have the same grammatical form (Using the SmartArt Tool, Adding New Slides, Arranging Slide Elements, are all parallel in grammatical form)

• Establish a clear hierarchy with formatting/bolding (make sure readers can tell a heading 1 from a heading 2

• User larger type-size for higher level headings; heading position to show ranking (center a title, for example); and typographic elements (bolding, italics, color, underline)

• Use decimal headings for longer, formal documents (view page 138 for visual)Source: Pages 135-138, Chapter 5

Summary

• Document design helps audience understand a document through visual elements.

• Grids and Whitespace help structure a document in an easy to read manner.

• Lists and Headings help structure content and can contain typographical techniques and formatting to achieve style and organization.