Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens To learn how to Develop visual literacy. Apply design principles to paper pages, presentation slides, and Web pages. Use computers to create headings, lists, and other features to make documents easy to read.

Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens Start by answering these questions: How should I design paper pages? How should I design presentation slides? How should I design Web pages?

Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens Start by answering these questions: How do I know whether my design works? When should I think about design?

Good Document Design Saves time and money. Reduces legal problems. Builds goodwill. Looks inviting, friendly, and easy-to-read. Enhances your credibility. Builds an image of you as professional and competent. Good document design helps reduce noise, which interferes with your audience’s ability to read and understand your message. It saves times and money and makes you and your organization look more credible.

How should I design paper pages? Use White Space. It makes material easier to read. Use headings. Use a mix of paragraph lengths (most no longer than seven typed lines). Use lists.

Use white space for separation and emphasis. To Design Paper Pages Use white space for separation and emphasis. Use headings to group points. Limit the use of capital letters. Use no more than two typefaces. Use justification appropriate to the audience. While individual documents and companies may require specific designs, most paper messages in business should follow these guidelines for good readability.

How should I design paper pages? Use Headings that are words or short phrases that group points and divide your letter, memo, or report into sections. Make headings specific. Make each heading cover all the material until the next heading. Keep headings at any one level parallel.

How should I design paper pages? Limit the Use of Words Set in All Capital Letters. In capitals, all words are rectangular; letters lose the descenders and ascenders that make reading go more quickly. Use full capitals sparingly. Instead, make text bold to emphasize it.

How should I design paper pages? Use No More than Two Fonts in a Single Document. Most business documents use just one font—usually Times Roman, Palatino, Helvetica, or Arial in 11- or 12-point. In a complex document, use bigger type for main headings and slightly smaller type for subheadings and text. If you combine two fonts in one document, choose one serif and one sans serif typeface.

To Design Presentation Slides Use a big font. Use bullet-point phrases. 44- or 50-point for titles, 32-point for subheads. Use clear, concise language and appropriate clip art. Make only three to five points per slide. Choose a consistent If you have more, consider using two slides template, customizing slides where necessary. Like all guidelines, these ones can be altered when the situation calls for it. In general, though, follow these principles when creating presentation slides. Remember, the slides should support what you have to say rather than replace it.

Choose a light background if the lights will be off during the presentation and a dark background if the lights will be on. Choose a light background if the lights will be off during the presentation and a dark background if the lights will be on.

Provide an introductory statement on the first screen. To Design Web Pages Provide an introductory statement on the first screen. Offer an overview of the content of your page. Put interesting and useful information up front. Minimize large graphics and animation. Standards for Web pages continue to evolve. Use these guidelines as a start, but also review Web pages that you believe work well for inspiration. Remember that the first page is critical. As most readers skim, “hooking” them early may determine whether they continue on to the rest of your Web site.

To Design Web Pages continued Include an “off” button for animation and music on introduction pages. Provide visual variety. Unify multiple pages. On each page, provide a link to the home page.

How should I design Web pages? Pay attention to content, navigation, and the first screen. The first screen should open very quickly and must contain the information visitors need to quickly and easily find what they are looking for. Minimize the number of links readers have to click through to get to the information they want.

To Incorporate Good Design Follow These Guidelines As you plan, think about your audience. As you write, incorporate lists and headings. Get feedback from people who will be using your document. As you revise, check your draft against the guidelines in this module. Think about design at every step of the process. Where possible, involve members of the audience, or work with professionals who may provide assistance in creating good layouts.

Unit One End of Module 5