...Some Basic Principles of Design
Basics of Design:
When you create a document, you make many choices. You choose the kind of document you need to fulfill your purpose and the language that will best communicate your message. You also choose what that document will look like on the page or the screen—both the overall architecture of the design, and the specifics of typeface, headings, line length, and so on. You will need to understand and then rationalize how to best use the following elements effectively. All of the following basic choices can make a big difference in design:
Also ensure that you understand How Visuals Function:
Visuals can function in any number of ways to make communication more effective. They can help you:
- Increase Comprehension
- Clarify Difficult or Abstract Information
- Provide Examples
- Illustrate
- Depict Relationships
- Emphasize Important Information
- Highlight Key Points
- Gain Attention of the Audience
- Establish Authority
- Reach a Broader Audience
- Improve Organization
- Simplify Information
Guidelines for Including Visuals
If you intend to include a visual in your document, there are four basic considerations that should be part of your decision. These are:
- Relevance
- Size
- Simplicity
- Cultural Accuracy
- Types of Visuals
- Graphics (charts, maps, graphs, diagrams...)
- Images (photos, screen shots...)
- Videos and Animations
Know the Relationship between Visuals and Text
Much of the effectiveness of the visuals you use is determined by how that visual relates to the text that it supports. Consider whether you are using:
- formal relationships between visuals and text
- informal relationships between visuals and text
- using captions and numbers to identify and direct readers to visuals
- using tables or lists of figures or illustrations
- using call outs in the text to call attention to certain aspects of visuals
- including "fluff"—visuals that are decorative rather than informative
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