1. Visual Literacy
“Visual literacy is defined as the ability to understand and use images, including the ability to think, learn and express oneself in terms of images.”
Robert Braden

2. Technology drives the design
Technocentric Thinking
Technology drives the design
Learner-friendly
Instruction drives the design
Information Design
Information drives the design

3. When designing Know the design rules Break the design rules
Play around
Revise
Find inspiration

4. When designing with text
Not all pictures are worth a 1000 words
Numerous fonts
Beautiful design in fonts

5. When laying out text Alignment Centering is far from best
To unify and organize text
Sets the mood (fun, serious, formal)
Use one type of alignment
Align all elements on a page

6. When laying out text Proximity To organize information
Crump similar information
Avoid too many elements
Avoid corners and the middle
Vary white space

7. When laying out text Repetition To unify and add interest
Be consistent
Notice eye movement
Avoid over repetition
Enhance existing repetitions

8. When selecting text Contrast
One of the most effective ways to create visual interest
If it’s not the same, make it very different
Don’t be a wimp
Use typefaces, line thickness, colors, shapes, sizes, space, etc for contrast
Avoid similar typefaces

9. Summary: Contrast - Repetition Alignment Proximity
When working with text
Summary:
Contrast -
Repetition
Alignment
Proximity

10. More about selecting text
“What type shall I use? The gods refuse to answer. They refuse because they do not know.”
W. A. Dwiggins

11. More about selecting text
Typeface families:
Oldstyle i.e. Times - abcefg
Modern i.e. Baskerville - abcde
Slab serif i.e. Courier - abcde
Sans serif i.e. Helvetica - abcde
Script i.e. Handwriting - abcde
Decorative i.e. Blackletter - abcde

17. The Assignment Decide what message you want to convey
Carefully consider who will see your message and how you want them to respond
Design an informational document to convey your message

18. The Assignment Critique your informational document
Design a second informational document with the same intent better than the first

19. The Assignment Write an explanation /rationale discussing
the intent of your message,
the intended audience and characteristics of that audience,
how the different elements of your document fit the intent and the characteristics of the audience,
why you chose the design in your document,
what elements in the first attempt could use improvement and how you improved them in the second attempt