1. Chapter 9 Layout and Design

2. Layout and Design
Layout refers to the factors that allow readers to skim, jump from place to place, and refer back to information with minimal effort and time.
Design is the process and result of arranging all of the visual elements of a document that give the document its shape and look.

3. Layout, Design, and the Problem-Solving Approach
Plan: choose your strategy, medium, and technologies
Draft: integrate visual and graphical elements
Distribute: publish in appropriate form

4. In many ways the content of your document cannot be separated from the design of the document, and the design of your document depends on the content, audience, and purpose.

5. Principles of Document Architecture
Consider how text and images can be positioned and designed for readability.
Make visual-rhetorical choices about the placement and layout of information on a page.
Understand aesthetic choices – those that make a document look pleasing to the eye.
Understand functional choices – those that aid a document in achieving its purpose.

6. Balance
Consider how elements are arranged and aligned to create a unified whole.
Place important elements in the optical center.
Consider symmetrical layout, where there is equal weight on both sides of the document.
Consider asymmetrical layout, where “heavier,” more visually striking elements are offset by less-striking elements.

7. Connection
Items in close proximity to one another are often “connected” visually by the reader.
This principle allows readers to easily interpret a relationship between elements.

8. Duplication
Suggests that elements of the same type, importance, or magnitude should use the same basic format, layout, and design
Coordinates elements of equal importance – like section headings, for example – for consistency and clarity

9. Variation
Varying sizes of elements shows contrasts or differences between them.
Varying positions of elements shows a hierarchy of different elements, focuses a reader’s attention on a particular point, or signals a change or break in the topic.

10. Flow
Flow refers to the movement of the reader’s eye from one part of a document to another.
Fluid design provides a clear and logical sense of movement from one section, idea, or image to the next.
Fluid designs make ample use of white space and avoid the overuse of borders and horizontal lines.

11. Elements of Document Architecture
Space: consider the size of the document
Time: consider the amount available
Money: consider your budget
Equipment: consider available tools
Collaborators: consider their strengths
Readers: consider their needs

12. Typography
The arrangement, style, appearance, and printing of text on a page
Typography consists of:
Font style
Font size
Emphasis
Case
Spacing
Justification

13. Font Style
Fonts can strike a variety of moods in the reader, from formal to informal, professional to creative.
Choose recognizable fonts that are relatively simple and unadorned.
Serifed fonts are considered easier to read.
Sans-serif fonts offer a clean and modern look.

14. Font Size
Should be large enough to be readable, but not so large that it wastes space or appears awkward
Usually ranges from 10 to 14 points on paper
Generally appears smaller in online documents
Emphasizes some sections of text and provides contrasts when varied

15. Devices for Emphasis
Boldface emphasizes through contrast —useful for headings, captions, or logos
Italicized text attracts the eye — useful for in-sentence emphasis
Colored text emphasizes — useful for alerting readers to cautions or warnings
CAPITALIZED text lends extreme emphasis — useful for importance or urgency

16. Titles and Headings Forecast and introduce the subjects that follow
Allow readers to easily find, reread, or refer to specific sections in the document
Work best when they are descriptive and specific

17. Titles and Headings Titles Headings
Appear on either a separate cover page or on the first page of text
Should be placed on the top 1/3 of the page
Are usually centered
Headings
Divide information into comprehensible sections within a larger document
Are typically written as short phrases

18. Captions Identify or describe information in visuals
Follow the same principles of brevity, specificity, and length as headings
Are usually centered directly below the graphic to which they refer
Are often included after a table or figure number

19. Headers and Footers Line the top and bottom edges of documents
Provide quick, consistent reference information
Often have dedicated functions in word processing programs

20. Lists
Employ lists to emphasize words, phrases, or groups of items, or to summarize information
Use an ordered format (numbered) when sequence is important
Use an unordered format (bulleted) when items are of equal value
Maintain consistency in length and style

21. Line Length, Spacing, and Justification
Line length refers to the characters on a line
Excessive length can exhaust the reader.
Line spacing (“leading”) refers to the amount of whitespace separating lines of text
Balance between seeming too empty and too crowded.
Line justification refers to how the words are aligned along the margins of the page
Left justification is easier to read, while full justification gives a professional appearance

22. White Space Is the empty area around the content
Keeps related items together, while providing breathing room between blocks (“chunking”)
Can increase the effectiveness of design elements

23. Paper Paper size is influenced by document genre
Page count is determined by economics and psychology
Paper quality suggests the importance of the document, but also influenced by economics

24. Binding Plastic grip Three-ring or loose-leaf Comb or spiral Saddle
Perfect