Important Factors in Good Document Design

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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.