1. Chapter 8 Document Design 2 Page Layout
Your narration or oral presentation notes go here.

2. Creating Visually Effective Documents
Technical communication is based on informed choices.
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

3. Creating Visually Effective Documents
A technical communicator makes decisions about aspects of design based on the audience and purpose.
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

4. Creating Visually Effective Documents
Readers - view a page as a whole unit - scan the page to get a sense of layout and structure - determine the page’s “road map” by looking at title, headings and subheadings
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

5. Creating Visually Effective Documents
Visual hierarchy
- shows main items or most important topics in primary headings
- shows secondary items in second level of headings or subheadings
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

6. Creating Visually Effective Documents
Headings and subheadings
- use same (parallel) grammatical structure
- show the structure (outline) of the document
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

7. Creating Visually Effective Documents
Electronic pages
- web pages (often cluttered)
- computer screens (shaped differently)
- electronic text (fuzzier than print)
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

8. Formatting a Page Effectively
Grids
- vertical
- horizontal
- combined
see Fig. 8.3 on p. 135
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

9. Formatting a Page Effectively
White Space
- isolates and emphasizes important elements and areas
- keeps related elements together
- breaks up regular visual pattern
- provides breathing room between blocks of information see Fig. 8.4 on p. 136
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

10. Formatting a Page Effectively
Adjust the gutter - white space between columns Use ample margins - white space around edges of a page
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

11. Formatting a Page Effectively
Avoid orphans - a paragraph’s opening line left at the bottom of the page Avoid widows - a paragraph’s closing line left at the top of the next page
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

12. Formatting a Page Effectively
Lists
- bulleted
- numbered (for series or steps)
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

13. Formatting a Page Effectively
Tips for Lists
Don’t overuse bullets.
Avoid using fancy icons.
Use punctuations only when required.
Use parallel grammatical structure.
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

14. Formatting a Page Effectively
Headings
- size headings by level
- choose appropriate heading size
- make headings visually consistent
- make headings grammatically parallel
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

15. Formatting a Page Effectively
Tips for Headings
- use no more than 4 levels of heading
- divide the text logically
- do not write the first sentence as a continuation of the heading
- do not leave a heading floating at the bottom of a page
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

16. Typography Fonts - use fonts from only one typeface
- be consistent if you mix typefaces
- use italics, boldface and all caps sparingly
- avoid going below 12-point type
- make headings at least 2 points larger than the text
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

17. Electronic searching or “find” feature
Search Options
Table of contents
Index
Running heads
Running feet
Electronic searching or “find” feature
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

18. Adobe Acrobat and PDF files CDs and other media
Electronic Documents
Web pages
Online help
Adobe Acrobat and PDF files
CDs and other media
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

19. Organizational style guides Word-processing and page layout software
Style Sheets and Tools
Organizational style guides
Word-processing and page layout software
CSS and HTML web pages
Technical Communication
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

20. Web Style Guide http://webstyleguide.com/wsg3/index.html
Ch 8: Page Layout
Document Design 2

21. Chapter 8 Page Layout Document Design 2