Issues when Designing Text for the Web

Reading Online is Harder than Reading from Paper.

Reference: Google

Online reading uses projected light while reading from a document involves reflected light. Reading online tend to cause fatigue in the eyes because of the foreground and background contrast and difference in brightness level. In the printed document, the white background absorbs different amount of light which is why there is less eye fatigue.

Therefore, there are many different design suggestions when it comes to online publication.

1. Avoid Multicolumn Layouts

Print publications tend to have multicolumn. This is because it helps make the best out of all the space available. Print publication readers tend to read from the first column to the bottom of the first column and continue with the top of the second column. However, it is different when it comes to online publication. Readers rarely read from the top to the bottom of the page and if there are multicolumn in the online publication, readers will have to scroll up and down the screen. This will be hard for readers to understand the article as there is a constant need to scroll and look back on what was previously read. Therefore, online publications should have single columns and the type size and line-spacing should be adjusted in order to compensate for the long line of texts.

2. Reducing Line Length

White space is very important when it comes to online publication. With very little while space, it will look as if the page is cluttered and will make it hard to read. Both the left and right margin should have margins to increase whitespace. Margins will help split up the page and also provide with short text topics in the sidebar. This will help reduce line length so that readers will be able to scan through the article quickly. 

3. Indicating New Paragraphs

Online publications could benefit from having some extra spacing in the beginning of the article. This can help open out the pages making it easier for the readers. Spacing of one halfs can help make a difference to the page immediately. The closer the spacing between paragraphs, it will appear cluttered.

4. Divide and Conquer

Subheadings and sidebars help compress long documents into a manageable size. Subheadings help readers who prefer to scan through the article before reading to find the most important information. Headings should use different typeface, type size and type style in order to stand out. Using san serifs in bold will be good for headings as they help the information stand out. Besides, without subheadings on screen, the reader will be clueless when it comes to the information in the article as they want to be able to skim through important information.

5. Typographic Contrast

The importance of each information should be clearly identifies by just looking at the headlines, subheads and sidebars. The importance of each element in the article should be determined and clearly understood by just looking at the typeface, type size, type style and other decisions. 

Headlines should be less noticeable than titles as they are significantly smaller than the main titles. However, subheads should be smaller than the headlines. Parenthetical information are usually not important to all readers. Therefore, the type size should be smaller than the type size used for the body of the article.

6. Text Hyperlinks

Online readers will find it easier to flip through pages of the documents when hyperlinks are used. They are able to see what the topics are by just skimming through the article. You want to be able to help the readers move from the topics by just clicking on a subheading. Hyperlinks can also help readers by clicking a topic to check on the hyperlink rather than going through the entire article.

7. Do not use Thin & Ornate Typefaces

The typeface or type faces chosen in the publication but be taken into consideration that it might not be printed out before reading. Therefore, thin and ornate typefaces (“modern”) should not be used. Typeface that has different stroke thickness tend to be easier to read on paper than on screen. The thin serifs and strokes usually get lost when it is projected through an online document. Also, try to avoid ornate typefaces that are fancy as it tends to clutter the page.

8. Colours

Colours should always be used in restraining amount. It is because, strong impressions can be made by using just black and one or two other colours instead of using all the colours. Using black fonts, accenting dark and also bright colours, usually does the best results. Adding shades of the same colour helps instead of using multiple colours. Lighter and darker colours help bring the colours together instead of disrupting the document. Bright colours on an online document sometimes appear too bright and distract the readers. Areas that are largely covered with colours also cost waste as it forces the readers to spend more on ink-jet cartridges. You must always be considerate that most readers will be printing out the document before reading it and using different colours will cause the publication to appear in different shades of grey. This will cause the readers to lose interest.

9. Keeping Readers Informed

Readers tend to be informed by the headers and footers. The publication title is the most important and also the section and chapter that they are currently reading. Page numbers should be included into the online publication so that the readers will be able to keep track of the pages easily especially when they print it out. Besides, page numbers help track the progress of the publication. Without them, readers will be lost especially since they are unable to determine their progress.

10. Backgrounds and Visual Elements

Try to keep the designs as simple as possible especially when it is for online distribution. Avoid complicated special effects. This is because each readers printer might be different and so would the quality. Keep the effects that are safe and turn out simple and easy to read when the online document is printed out. 

Reference: Parker & Roger, C 2003, Designing Documents for Web Distribution, Looking Good in Print, Scottsdale, Ariz, Paraglyph Press, Ch. 14, p. 265- 293.

Important Factors in Good Document Design

Reference: Google

The physical appearance of a document design is very imporant as it goes hand in hand with the written text. Readers will also be able to read better if the presentation of the document is eye-catching.

There are many factors in a good document design.

However, I am only going to focus on six.

Balance

'Having comparable visual "weights" on both sides of a page or on opposing pages in a longer document' (Reep 2006, p. 135).

There should be formal balance in a page just like a scale. Two pages should be filled up evenly. Informal balance would be a heavily weighted scale on one side balanced by two smaller scales to equal to the total weight of the other side.

Photographs that are dominant on a page may not be dominant in the other. These are a few key points about visual 'weights'.

• Big weighs more than small.
• Dark weighs more than light.
• Colour weighs more than black and white.
• Unusual shapes weigh more than simple circles or square.

Proportion

'Size and placement of text, graphic aids, and format elements on the page' (Reep 2006, p.135).

The use of equal amount of space for text and graphics for all pages causes it to be monotonous for readers. Each graphic should be suitable in size for the readers to read appropriately and easily.

Sequence

'Arrangement of design features so that readers see them in the best order for their use of the document' (Reep 2006, p.136).

Readers tend to read from the top left to the bottom right corner. They also tend to scan through in between those points. Effective design will attract readers to the most important point that is what the readers are looking for.

Consistency

'Presenting similar features in a similar style' (Reep 2006, p.136).

• Margins - Help to keep margins and pages of a document more uniformed.
• Typeface - Similar size and style for headings and information.
• Indentations - Uniform indentation for paragraphs, quotations and lists.

Consistency helps readers to look for the similar information of the same importance.

Photographs

'A photograph provides a surface view of an object or event' (Reep 2006, p.153).

Photographs should be clear and help the readers understand an article easier. There should not be any distracting background orother object in the phototgraph that can change the meaning of the article.

Heading

'Organizational cues that alerts readers to the sequence of information in a document' (Reep 2006, p. 154)

• Headings will help readers find a particular information.
• Headers help provide the outline and structure of the sections in an article.
• Headers help bring attention towards a particular topic.
• Headers help show the changes in topics.
• Headers help break up the pages so that readers find it easier to read.

Reference: Reep DC 2006, Document Design, Technical Writing, Pearson/ Longman, New York, pp. 133-172. 

Media Issue #2 Social Media Bragging



Reference: Google

In August 2013, one of the articles in The Wall Street Journal was about how we are all braggarts in today's society. Especially since the appearance of social media, people can post almost anything and everything on the internet. People online tend to brag about almost anything from getting a huge paycheck to buying a new house. We do it all the time, whether we realise it or not.

"We brag because we can," says Julie Hanks, a licensed clinical social worker who has a therapy clinic in Salt Lake CIty. "And a lot more people are listening."

Unfortunately, there has been many problems along this generation using social media as they feel the continuos need to compete and be better than others. This can be harmful to the people who use social media websites as it can cause depression especially for those who are not able to cope well and for those who are unable to handle competitiveness.

Also, for me, sometimes social media bragging can lower one's self esteem and may harm them. People online usually say things that they would not say face-to-face. People tend to think that social media is a good platform to post positive information and receive positive feedback. However, with the privilege of being anonymous, people use it for the wrong purpose. In my opinion, there should be ways and means to control and decrease this epidemic and help educate the young generation about the harms of social media bragging.

 Reference: Are We All Braggarts Now?

Media Issue #1 iPhone 6?

Reference: Google

What is the hype about?

Rumours are already flooding in about the new iPhone 6 when the iPhone 5s was just released not too long ago. It is said that Apple will be putting more thought into increasing the size of the screen which is what the Apple consumers are waiting for. This is since more and more mobile phone brands are beginning to increase their screen size (Samsung, HTC, et.). I would think it is a good idea as Apple's market share has been falling and there seems to be more competition with other brands.

Also, there has been many complains as to how the iPhone 5s would be able to compete with other new phones by Samsung and HTC, hardware and software wise.

"The iPhone 6 will likely have a new design and a 4.8" display," Peter Misek, an analyst at Jefferies LLC, wrote in the note.

In my opinion, this media issue is very important to the Apple fans. Especially since there has been so many comparison done between Apple and also other products in terms of size. Apple consumers will be looking forward to this change. Changing the screen size will not only increase the sales of the iPhone but also include a switch in brand choice. Many Android users have said how they prefer a bigger screen compared to the Apple iPhone screen. 

However, I am quite sure that Android users will not be interested in this article because Android phones always had relatively bigger screens and Apple increasing the screen size only in 2013 will prove to be a little overdue.  

Reference: iPhone 6

Introduction



Reference: Google

As a second year student in my Marketing and Communication Degree, I am required to compose a blog for the Issues in Publication and Design subject. Here, I will discuss about media issues that are occurring in our everyday life. Besides that, I will also include weekly postings of chosen publication issues and summarising them giving my own perspective on the issue. Also, there will be postings on each of the following questions that I must answer in this blogging assignment.

They are:
1. What sorts of things should a write consider before putting 'pen to paper'?
2. Name/ explain at least six important factors in good document design.
3. What are some of the issues you need to consider when designing text for the web?
4. New technology affects the way we communicate and design our 'documents'. Find and discuss your own example of a new form of publishing.
5. Find two blogs that you think are well done: provide a link to each and briefly tell us what they do and why you think they do it well.
6. Your reflection on the process of creating the weblog.