This blog will discuss about the importance of document designs for designers and also readers. The target audiences are students and lecturers who have interests to increase their knowledge regarding document designs.
Document Designs
What is a good document? In order to form a good document, many factors have to be considered especially the design and writing of a document. Let's start with document designs. Document designs can simply be connected to the act of writing and designing. First of all, good document designs allow readers to read efficiently. Based on the previous group presentation slides below, there are changes that must be made in order to let the readers to read efficiently or in other words, effectively.
Before
After
For instance, the information in the previous group assignment slides are too much and draggy. Readers might not understand the meaning of 'salience' theory. Thus, I have made changes to my slides by representing the information in point forms. It is easier for readers to understand and most of the them would scan through bullet points list rather than reading the whole sentence in a document. It is important to sum up the important informations that readers want to know. Moreover, the slides have too much empty spaces which might not capture reader's interest towards the topic. Although it is related to document designs but the slide is just too plain for readers. Good document designs should consist of visually appealing elements instead of text only. For examples, I have made changes to the slide below by adding images.
Before
For instance, the information in the previous group assignment slides are too much and draggy. Readers might not understand the meaning of 'salience' theory. Thus, I have made changes to my slides by representing the information in point forms. It is easier for readers to understand and most of the them would scan through bullet points list rather than reading the whole sentence in a document. It is important to sum up the important informations that readers want to know. Moreover, the slides have too much empty spaces which might not capture reader's interest towards the topic. Although it is related to document designs but the slide is just too plain for readers. Good document designs should consist of visually appealing elements instead of text only. For examples, I have made changes to the slide below by adding images.
Before
After
References:
Bastoky, G 2008, Definition of Document Design, viewed 6 April 2009, <http://www.bastoky.com/DocDesignDef.htm>.
Morkan, L. L 2007, Visual Rethoric in the Appellate Brief, viewed 5 April 2009, <http://raymondpward.typepad.com/newlegalwriter/2007/08/visual-rhetoric.html>.
Nordquist, R 2009, The Characteristic of Good Writing, viewed 5 April 2009, <http://www.grammar.about.com/od/yourwriting/a/characteristics.htm>.
Putnis, P & Petelin, R 1996, Writing to Communicate, Prentice Hall, Sydney.
Schriver, A. K 1997, Dynamics in document design: creating texts for readers, Wiley Computer Pub., New York.
