Document Design

1
Document Design

• Justine Nielsen
• San Luis Obispo Society for Technical
  Communication
• April 28, 2003

2
Document Design

• Analyze your audience
• Determine appropriate information architecture
  and medium
• Design for use
• Select effective design tools

3
Analyze Your Audience

• Consider

• Who they are
• What their goal is
• How you can advocate on their behalf

4
Information Architecture and Medium

• Which medium is most appropriate?
• Online
• Layer information hierarchically
• Begin with simple, brief explanations best for
  novices
• Add additional levels of detail for more
  experienced users with complex questions or
  problems
• Effectiveness comes from the information content
  and design structure
• Test with various stages of technologies, not
  just current versions

5
Information Architecture and Medium

• Which medium is most appropriate?
• Print
• Consider physical working conditions when
  choosing page size, substrate, page layout,
  fonts, colors
• Index specific, rather than general, terms
• Combination
• Use single-source content databases to quickly
  create multiple versions in different media with
  varied content for different users

6
Write for Use

• Make information easy to find
• Just Chunk It!
• Keep it short
• Use long paragraphs only for explanation, not
  for instruction
• Use jargon appropriately
• Repeat information rather than cross-reference

• and easy to understand
• Use a direct writing style
• Begin each step with an action (including a
  verb) and identify the expected response
• Use examples, scenarios, and analogies to clarify
  content

7
Information Architecture and Medium

• Document Design creates relationshipsdistinguish
  ing things that are different, connecting things
  that are related.

8
Select Effective Design Tools

• Use text organizers
• Headlines, kickers, subheads
• Headers and footers
• Pull-quotes and sidebars
• Bulleted and numbered lists
• Design for visual effectiveness
• Combine words, images and shapes to create a
  visual language
• Use visual elements (fonts, paragraph spacing,
  colors, graphics) consistently

9
Select Effective Design Tools

• Include accurate and relevant technical
  illustrations
• Dont overwhelm with too much information
• Create simple tables and diagrams
• Remove distracting chart junk

10
Select Effective Design Tools

• Include accurate and relevant technical
  illustrations
• Provide ongoing motivation for readers design
  for interest, access, and impact make it
  memorable
• Avoid distortion, deception, and
  misrepresentation

11
The Bottom Line

• Why do I need to know this stuff?
• Provide the total package
• Technical communicator vs. writer
• How can I market my design skills?
• Audience analysis
• Investigative skills
• Computer programming
• User interface design
• Visual interactive design

• Task analysis
• Verbal communication
• Graphic design
• Interpersonal skills

12
The Bottom Line

• Whats the best way to exhibit these skills to
  a prospective employer?
• A Digital Portfolio!